Alexander Devine receives £1,000 to help cover care
A BERKSHIRE charity has received a cash gift to help it continue supporting children with life-threatening conditions.
David Wilson Homes Southern donated £1,000 to Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service as part of its Community Fund scheme.
The hospice provides specialist care and lifeline support to children with lifelimiting conditions, and their families.
Its team of staff and volunteers work across Berkshire and into surrounding counties, to help more than 135 children.
The charity receives minimal government funding to meets its annual running cost of £1.8 million.
Jenni Green, trusts and foundations fundraiser at Alexander Devine, said: “We’re thrilled to have received this donation and would like to say a huge thank you to David Wilson Homes for choosing to support us through its Community Fund scheme.
“We are a local charity that is nearly entirely reliant on fundraising and donations to run our vital children’s hospice service. This donation will make a such a difference to those children and families that rely on our services.
“We’re caring for more children with complex medical needs than ever before and we can only continue doing so with the support of incredible organisations like David Wilson Homes.”
Ms Green said that £1,000 could help fund nearly 23 hours of specialist nursing care for a child with a life-limiting or lifethreatening condition.
“This precious time will allow parents much-needed respite and give a child the opportunity to experience fun, joy and adventures at our hospice or in their own home,” she said.
“The Community Fund scheme is a wonderful and generous way for charities like ours to benefit from muchneeded funding. We can’t thank David Wilson enough for its kindness.”
Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service has a holistic approach that is bespoke for each child and family and the care and support that they need.
This could be at the children’s hospice in Maidenhead, out in the community in a family’s home, hospital or school.
Support includes respite care, specialist play, symptom management, family support, end-of-life care and bereavement support.
Campbell Gregg, managing director at David Wilson Homes Southern, said that the hospice carries out admirable work in Berkshire and beyond.
“We’re proud that we can support the charity in continuing to make a difference to so many lives in the community,” he said.
“The role of our Community Fund scheme is to help the wonderful charities and organisations in the areas in which we build and we’re thrilled we’ve been able to support Alexander Devine with our donation.”
The charity was founded by Fiona and John Devine in memory of their son, Alexander, who passed away from a rare brain tumour in 2006.
Their experience led them to realise the need for a children’s hospice in Berkshire.
n For more information about Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service, visit: www. alexanderdevine.org
■ For more information about David Wilson Homes, visit: www. dwh.co.uk