I had the privilege of visiting Martin House Children’s Hospice in Boston Spa last week, along with Zoe Hands from Leeds Marriott and Freda Shafi from Yorkshire BusinessWoman. Our mission? To assist with funding the Hospice’s expansion plans by presenting a cheque on behalf of Yorkshire BusinessWoman, while meeting hospice staff and learning more about their vital work.
Raffle ticket sales from March’s inaugural Yorkshire BusinessWoman Awards helped us support two incredible charities this year, Focus4Hope and Martin House, each receiving £2,150. During our Martin House visit, we met with Victoria Coltman, Vicki Greensmith, and Clair Holdsworth. They shared the heart-warming stories behind their mission, explained what they do and why, and let's just say, we left Martin House feeling genuinely inspired, moved, and rather teary-eyed. The experience made a real impression, motivating me to share their socials, with the objective of amplifying the Martin House message and signposting their incredible work.
Martin House Children’s Hospice
Martin House Children's Hospice provides specialist care for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses across West, North and East Yorkshire. They specialise in family-led care, which as the name suggests, focuses on comprehensively supporting the entire family. Their remarkable work can be broken down into these key areas:
- Hospice Care: Martin House provides care for children and young people with life-shortening conditions, either at their hospice in Boston Spa or in the families' own homes. This care can be short-term respite stays, emergency care, symptom management, or end-of-life care.
- Family Support: Martin House recognises the immense burden placed on families caring for a child with a life-limiting illness. They offer a variety of support services, including bereavement support for families who have lost a child.
- Holistic Approach: Their approach to patient and family care goes beyond medical needs. Martin House provides a range of programmes and facilities to create a comfortable and supportive environment for children and families, including playrooms, multi-sensory rooms, and landscaped gardens.
For over 37 years, Martin House Children's Hospice has played a vital role in supporting families facing incredibly difficult circumstances. They provide essential comfort, palliative care, and a sense of community for children with life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones.
The BUILD
Martin House is embarking on a major transformation called "THE BUILD." This ambitious £21.9 million project will extend and transform the existing hospice building. During our tour, we were shown plans for upgraded facilities, designed to house new equipment and deliver the best levels of care for the children who visit Martin House.
The focus is on creating a "home from home" environment which is discreet and comfortable. Each bedroom will have its own ensuite bathroom, and use of integrated hoists, making life a little easier in functional ways. Piped oxygen will be available in all bedrooms, another measure to reduce stress and simplify logistics. There will also be an improved shared area, creating more space for activity and relaxation.
During our tour, Vicki Greensmith explained how children’s equipment requirements (such as wheelchairs and hoists) change over time, creating a continuing need for adaption. So, it’s vital that Martin House can facilitate this service, growing and changing along the way. The BUILD will review these requirements and make provisions for the future.
In addition to the new building, The BUILD will also cover renovation work on the existing building, creating better ways to use the existing space. In fact, the meeting room where we met the team will soon become home to a hydrotherapy pool! The team at Martin House has truly thought of everything, to provide the best possible care in an intelligent future-proof manner.
How you can support THE BUILD
The families that Martin House supports need more space. THE BUILD offers a purpose-built facility specifically designed to meet their needs during difficult times. Since Martin House provides free care to families, your donations and fundraising efforts will make a genuine impact and help them reach their £2 million target.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Host a fundraising event: Bake sales, sponsored walks, quiz nights – all funds raised will make a difference.
- Donate: A one-off donation of £50 could support a grieving parent with counselling, while £500 could help build new, enhanced bedrooms.
- ‘Buy a brick’: Leave your mark on the virtual brick recognition wall on the hospice's website.
- Become a Corporate Partner: Partner with THE BUILD and make a significant contribution.
Visit the Martin House website (https://www.martinhouse.org.uk/) to learn more about THE BUILD and how you can get involved.
