Archives

We’ve had some new recruits join the team over the last few weeks, so say hello if you haven’t already and help them get settled in!

Jo Fletcher – Clinical Support Worker

Our newest member of the Care Team is Jo, who joined us on our staff away day held at Brockholes at the beginning of September. She’s no stranger to healthcare, and has enjoyed a varied career working with children and young people who have learning difficulties and special needs.

After five years at Mayfield Special School, Jo felt that it was time to spread her wings, and wanted to join the team here at Derian House as she’d heard amazing things from her friends and now fellow staff members Danielle and Chantal.

At the time of writing, Jo was mostly looking forward to no two days ever being the same, meeting a variety of people and families, and also getting to know the place. We’re sure that by now she’s definitely learnt a lot and got stuck right in!

In the three months leading up to her starting date, Jo actually volunteered here at the hospice so she could get to grips with it all and learn about her new role.

When she’s not at work, Jo loves spending time with people, be it her friends, family, or the choir that she belongs to. She loves singing as an outlet and spends a great deal of time with her ‘Sing It Big’ fam.

Rebecca Shivji – Executive Assistant

The new executive to our leader Karen is Rebecca, who has joined the team after three and a half years at Bolton Lads & Girls Club, where she actually took on a totally different role as a bid writer within the charity’s Fundraising Team.

After seeing the work of Derian House through social media, Rebecca jumped at the opportunity to work here and enjoy the next stage of her career whilst still remaining in the charity sector.

Rebecca has many transferrable skills which are sure to help her within her new role here at the hospice, and is excited to work with Karen again after previously working under her leadership at BLGC.

A lot of Derian’s values align with Rebecca’s personal ones, and she’s excited about being part of an enthusiastic and passionate team who deliver outstanding care to over 400 families across the region.

When she’s not working, Rebecca loves spending as much time as possible with her six-year-old son Zachariah, going for walks in nature, and even writing poetry! She’s also a trained counsellor, mindfulness instructor, and reiki practitioner… is there anything she can’t do?!

Verity Harrison – Data Analyst

Derian’s new Data Analyst may have joined us on a temporary basis, but Verity has already made a massive impact in helping set up the Care Database over the last few weeks.

Verity worked for a long time within the NHS as a public health specialist, and within the team at Cancer Research for the past five years.

She’s taken on this role at Derian House mainly because she enjoys working within the charity sector, and has a large understanding of the NHS and the way it works – which is perfect for all of the data she’ll be working with whilst she’s here!

Outside of being a data queen, Verity loves reading and researching, and also fell running. She’s cat mum to Konstantine and Hades the cats… and (fun fact) Diana Vickers is her second cousin!

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who took part in the open day 30^th anniversary celebrations on Friday.

It was such a brilliant and uplifting day and I hope you all feel proud of being able to showcase the wonderful work we do here at Derian to members of the public and supporters.

A special well done to Gill, Ellie and Ann-Marie who co-ordinated the day, and also to all of the representatives on the 30^th anniversary group who have been working hard for a number of months on the plans for the open day event.

Whilst it will be difficult to measure the real impact of the open day (I’m sure it will spark many different opportunities for years to come), we have had some lovely outcomes and feedback that I wanted to share with you all.

• 102 people attended on the day.
• We received £3,133 in web donations and donations on the day – including two £1,000 donations and four new regular monthly givers signed up.
• We sold almost £400 worth of Derian goods on reception and another £80 in extra donations.
• We received excellent press coverage, with reports on BBC North West Tonight (https://tinyurl.com/3ne4jssx); ITV Granada Reports (Derian House Children’s Hospice celebrates 30th birthday | ITV News Granada); we were the top story on BBC Radio Lancashire and the Lancashire Post will be running a photo spread about the day.
• A number of visitors pledged to leave a legacy to Derian House in their Wills.
• Two large businesses have contacted us offering to help with volunteering and donations after seeing us on the news.

We have also received some lovely comments from visitors – here’s just a few…

“Wonderful place, for all our young people.” Amanda Parker JP, Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire.

“An amazing experience. I wish I could bottle the passion, enthusiasm, compassion and kindness that oozes throughout the whole building. The visit should be a must for every front line practitioner. Justin S, Lancashire Police.

“Happy birthday to all staff, volunteers, parents, families and children. Thank you for a special day.” Sam Sherrington, NHS England.

“Once again thank you for your kind invitation for Val and I to visit Derian House and be part of its 30th celebration. We both enjoyed our time with you and it was good to see old colleagues and meet new people, clearly the hospice is developing apace. The tour was both interesting and informative and along with the  hospitality and warm welcome made for and a truly special day. Finally the gold badge and the words inside the card were greatly appreciated.

Please pass on thanks to all concerned.” Trevor Briggs (Derian’s first Chief Executive)

See the official photographs of the day here: https://tinyurl.com/mrxxyrm3

TUESDAY 24^th

• We’ll be welcoming a batch of our families to Family Day Care for half term Halloween fun today from 10:00am – 3:00pm.

• We’re collecting leaves around the gardens this morning, ready for our wreath-making activity this afternoon in the Messy PlayZone.

• Say hello to our new Horwich Shop Assistant Andrea Kilcommins, who will be here at the hospice today for her induction.

WEDNESDAY 25^th

• Join our children and young people for sensory ten pin bowling fun in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the House Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Put your coats on, we’re off on a walk to Astley Park (weather permitting).

THURSDAY 26^th

• Greenhouse gardening fun with Gareth the gardener will kick off today’s activities.

• Shuna will be visiting us this morning with her human Linda for pet therapy fun for all.

• Splish, splash – this afternoon, our in-house children and young people will be in the hydrotherapy pool

• School’s Out! Our lads will be meeting today at the hospice from 10:00am for an action-packed day filled with fun.

• Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will be facilitating swimming lessons in the hydrotherapy pool this evening.

FRIDAY 27^th

• Let’s get ready for spooky season with pumpkin carving and decorating fun in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Join us in Danni’s Diner for pumpkin pie making this afternoon.

• Friday Night Club for our Lodgers will be held in the Lodge from 7:00pm this evening.

SATURDAY 28^th

• The Youth Family Drop-In will take place throughout the Lodge today from 1:30pm – 3:00pm.

• Our bereaved Derian Mums will meet in the Seaside Room for their monthly session between 10:00am – 12:00pm.

• Conkers? Acorns? What will we find in our autumn scavenger hunt around the hospice gardens?

• Tina (Wellbeing & Play Coordinator) will lead an autumn guided journey followed by hand massages this afternoon.

• Our pet therapy labradoodle Tallulah will join us at the hospice with her human Clare for more pet therapy.

SUNDAY 29^th  

• We’ll be occupying our time today with leaf-themed paper plate sun catcher making in the Messy PlayZone today.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

MONDAY 16^th

• What movie will our children choose to watch in the cinema this afternoon?

TUESDAY 17^th  

• Derian Playgroup for our babies and toddlers will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 11:30am.

• Our Join us for an autumn themed sensory journey in the Sensory Room this morning.

• It’s party time! We’ll be enjoying birthday party games and fun in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon.

• Individual and group sessions of music therapy with Martha will take place in the House Snug from 2:00pm.

• ITV Granada Reports will be here at the hospice this morning to film a piece about our 30^th

WEDNESDAY 18^th

• Eyes down… it’s prize bingo time! We’ll be getting competitive in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the House Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Weather permitting; we’ll be collecting treasure on a hunt around Astley Park this afternoon.

• Our Derian Dads group will meet in the Seaside Room from 7:30pm – 9:00pm for their monthly session.

THURSDAY 19^th

• Roll up your sleeves and get your aprons on, it’s time to do some birthday cake baking in Danni’s Diner this morning.

• Our Pet Therapy pooch Shuna will be at the hospice with Linda this morning.

• Splish, splash – this afternoon, we’ll be having lots of fun in the hydrotherapy pool.

• John (Family Counsellor)’s fortnightly wellbeing session for all staff will take place in the Cinema from 4:00pm.

FRIDAY 20^th

• The time has finally come for our big 30^th birthday Open Day to arrive. We’ll be throwing open our doors from 10:00am to a whole range of professionals, family members and friends of Derian House to show them exactly what we do and how their donations are spent.

SATURDAY 21^st

• To celebrate ‘Apple Day’, we’ll be doing fruit stamp pictures and taking part in apple bobbing fun in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• After lunch, we’ll be continuing our celebrations with toffee apple making… yum, yum!

SUNDAY 22^nd

• Cosy up and snuggle down, it’s story time with Katie (Wellbeing & Play Team Leader) in the House Lounge.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

MONDAY 9^th  

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be on the children’s bedroom corridor facilitating sessions of massage and reflexology with our children and young people this afternoon.

• We’re celebrating three huge weeks this week – Hospice UK’s annual Hospice Care Week, Baby Loss Awareness Week, and of course – the 30^th birthday of Derian House Children’s Hospice.

TUESDAY 10^th

• Derian Playgroup for our babies and toddlers will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 11:30am.

• Our children and young people will be making mini scarecrows in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• It’s party time! We’ll be enjoying birthday party games and fun in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon.

• Individual and group sessions of music therapy with Martha will take place in the House Snug from 2:00pm.

WEDNESDAY 11^th

• Happy 30^th Birthday, Derian House! We’ll be celebrating over on our social media platforms throughout the day #Derian30.

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the House Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Weather permitting; our youngsters will be off on a trip out this afternoon – destination to be confirmed.

• Bereaved families will be visiting the hospice from 4:00pm – 8:00pm to film for our brand new ‘Say My Child’s Name’ campaign, which aims to reduce the stigma around child loss.

• Our bereaved Dads group will meet in the Seaside Room from 7:00pm – 9:30pm for their monthly session.

THURSDAY 12^th

• It’s Harry Potter book day, so we’ll be celebrating with story time in the House Lounge.

• Our children and young people will be enjoying fun and splashes in the hydrotherapy pool this morning.

FRIDAY 13^th

• Our children and young people will be busy getting crafty in the Messy PlayZone this morning, when they make clay hedgehogs to take home.

• Let’s get baking! Join us in Danni’s Diner where we’ll be whipping up some tasty birthday treats.

SATURDAY 14^th

• Our pet therapy pooch, Tallulah, will be visiting the hospice with her human Clare this morning.

• Solve the clues to find our birthday treasure in the hospice grounds on this afternoon’s scavenger hunt.

SUNDAY 15^th

• Danni’s Diner will play host to our birthday biscuit decorating session this morning.

• Musical sensory ten pin bowling fun is this afternoon’s activity.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

In September, Team Derian got covered in mud at the UK’s biggest army assault course Born Survivor, our youngsters enjoyed a vroooomazing day out at Aintree race course, and eight businesspeople from across the North West were left shouting ‘Bail Me Out!’ as they were locked behind bars #MonthInAMinute 💚

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDOUC0YUkO8

MONDAY 2^nd

• Our 30^th birthday activities are kicking off with messy spray bottle painting in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be on the children’s bedroom corridor facilitating sessions of massage and reflexology with our children and young people this afternoon.

TUESDAY 3^rd

• Derian Playgroup for our babies and toddlers will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 11:30am.

• Our children and young people will be making birthday bunting in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Music and Movement with Claire (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will have a party theme this afternoon, with musical statues and other party games thrown in!

• Individual and group sessions of music therapy with Martha will take place in the House Snug from 2:00pm.

WEDNESDAY 4^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the House Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Weather permitting; our youngsters will be off on a trip out this afternoon – destination to be confirmed.

THURSDAY 5^th

• It’s World Space Week, so we’ll be aligning the planets with paper mache craft in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Shuna will be in and around the hospice with her human Linda for pet therapy from 10:00am.

• Our children and young people will be enjoying fun and splashes in the hydrotherapy pool this afternoon.

• John Pilling (Family Counsellor)’s fortnightly wellbeing session for all staff will be held in the Cinema from 4:00pm today.

FRIDAY 6^th

• Coffee Morning – for our Derian families – will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am.

• We’re all mad here! It’s Mad Hatters Day, so we’re celebrating with crazy 30^th birthday hat making in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Strike a pose, we’re taking selfie booth photos for the board this afternoon in our hats.

• Our older siblings group, Chill Out & Chat, will meet in the Seaside Room for their monthly meetup from 6:30pm – 9:00pm.

SATURDAY 7^th

• It’s less than a week until Derian’s 30^th birthday, so today’s activity will be birthday card and cardboard box birthday cake making!

• Danni’s Club, for our younger siblings, will meet today in the Seaside Room from 1:30pm – 4:00pm.

SUNDAY 8^th  

• Join us in the Sensory Room for a guided birthday journey with Tina (Wellbeing & Play Coordinator), followed by a massage.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

MONDAY 25^th

• Monday night at the movies! What will we watch in the cinema this afternoon?

TUESDAY 26th

• Derian Playgroup for our babies and toddlers will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 11:30am.

• Our young people will be enjoying computer gaming fun in the Hub this morning.

• There’ll be plenty of fun and splashes in the hydrotherapy pool this afternoon.

• Individual and group sessions of music therapy with Martha will take place in the House Snug from 2:00pm.

WEDNESDAY 27^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the House Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Danni’s Diary will be landing on the doorsteps of over 30,000 of our supporters’ houses from today, with its accompanying Christmas Catalogue. Get your Christmas cards from the bargain price of just £2.29.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be on the children’s bedroom corridor facilitating sessions of massage and reflexology with our children and young people this morning.

• Where in the world will the Derian House minibus take us to this afternoon?

THURSDAY 28^th

• Get your whisks out! We’ll be enjoying soapy whisking fun in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• We’ll be gathering around the fire pit to do some cooking in the Smile Park woods this afternoon.

• Swimming lessons will held in the hydrotherapy pool from 4:00pm – 7:00pm today.

FRIDAY 29^th

• Old Swan Films will be here at the hospice to film staff and family interviews in the Lodge Flat.

• Bail Me Out! Our tongue-in-cheek fundraising challenge is back for another year of crazy challenges and jail-themed fun! Our very own Karen Edwards, alongside Derian House trustees Davina, Rick and Matt, will be thrown (non-aggressively) behind bars and only released when they’ve raised £999 in bail money.

• STRIKE! Our children and young people will be enjoying sensory ten pin bowling fun in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Get your wellies on – we’re off to Astley Park to feed the ducks and visit the animals in Pets Corner.

SATURDAY 30^th

• It’s World Maritime Day, so to celebrate, we’re doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone, followed by maritime stories aboard HMS Danni.

• Our Derian Mums Bereavement Group will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 2:00pm.

• Due to popular demand, we’ll be extending our Family Stay & Play sessions to our older children and young people who reside in the Lodge – so with that in mind, our Youth Family Drop-In session will take place from 1:30 – 3:00pm today.

SUNDAY 1^st

• Boccia and curling fun will take place in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

In light of the recent Lucy Letby case we want to ensure that all staff are aware of the avenues available to them should they wish to raise a concern or speak up.

As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety of everyone who comes into Derian House, we have identified a number of people, our “raising concern champions”, who you can go to if you need to raise a concern. This could be about safety, the care of a patient or our culture.

You can go to ANY trustee, or ANY of the senior management team.

You can also speak to raising concern champions Helen Holmes or Katie McNally.

If you feel that you would like to speak to someone independent, we have appointed an external organisation called Safecall, which specialises in managing whistleblower concerns. Safecall’s hotline enables you to report your concern relating to your working environment in a safe and secure way, either by phone or online (www.safecall.co.uk/report or www.safecall.co.uk/freephone).

Here you can also watch a short film produced by the NHS which discusses the different types of subjects which fall under the Raising a Concern policy.

Our raising concerns policy detailing the process of dealing with a concern can be found on the intranet under “policies”.

With a new variant of COVID spreading in England, now is a good time to ensure all staff are aware of our current guidelines.

If you have symptoms (including but not limited to: a new continuous cough, fever or chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle ache, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell) you should test.

If you test positive, you can return to work after five days if you feel well and do not have a temperature – you do not need to test again or wait for a negative test result. Day One is the first day you tested positive.

If you feel well enough and have agreed with your line manager, you may work from home during this time, but this will depend on your job role.

COVID boosters are available to frontline care-delivering staff and everyone is encouraged to take this up.

Our staff flu vaccine service will also return for this year and will be rolled out in the coming weeks.

Hello Team Derian, hope that you’re all well.

Following on from our away day at Brockholes earlier this month, I have now had a chance to digest all of the wonderful feedback you came up with and have proposed some next steps which SMT chatted about yesterday and I’ll be sharing with the Trustee Board next week.

Our first task is to really nail down our purpose – our WHY – who we are as an organisation and what do we want to provide and to who!? The SOAP (not that type……the Strategy On A Page) will be tweaked following this and then we’d want to agree what are the organisational values, behaviours and attitudes needed to deliver on purpose and strategy.  This will be key to delivering our new strategy that you had input into in the afternoon session of the away day.  We want all of this tied down over the next couple of months.

It’s really important that we keep the momentum up and I am keen to keep staff fully involved in the process going forward, which is why we will be looking at formulating teams of staff “champions” to lead areas of change.  They’ll lead what I am now referring to as our “Big Convo”.  Keeping the conversation going is crucial.

As I mentioned in a previous email, a new Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) has been formed. This small group of directors will represent the three key work stream areas of our new strategy:

1. Excellence in Care & Services: Clinical Director (Lynn Grayson and then Catherine Randall)

1. Be an Employer of Choice: Director of People & Organisational Development, Kim Owen

1. Be Financially Sustainable:  Director of Income and Engagement, Caroline Taylor.

There are also plans to open up the Senior Management Team meetings to encourage greater input from more service areas. This monthly meeting will focus on the key operational ways we can really deliver our strategy through everything we do.

From November, the current team will expand to include:

• Ruth Islip – Head of Integrated Care
• Dawn Andrews – Head of Family & Wellbeing Services
• Lee Seymour – Head of Quality, Governance & Compliance (starts October 9)
• Cameron Murray – Communications and Marketing Manager
• Mick Croskery – Head of Income Generation

They will join Colin Taylor, Head of Finance and Luke Bateson, Head of Facilities & Infrastructure.

Developing a strong robust structure is key to achieving our ambitions in delivering the very best care for our children and young people and their families, and I am confident that everyone will excel in their new roles and we can continue to build the culture we want at Derian.

I am also pleased to announce that we have appointed to the role of Executive Assistant to Chief Executive and SLT. Rebecca Shivji will join us on October 9th and will be a great addition to the team.

Thank you again for your honesty, openness and commitment to our improvement journey.

My door is always open, feel free to pop your head in at any time……

TUESDAY 19^th  

• Derian Playgroup for our babies and toddlers will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 11:30am.

• Aharrrrrrr me hearties! It’s Talk like a Pirate Day! We’ll be celebrating with arty fun in the Messy PlayZone followed by pirate stories.

• SMT will be meeting this morning in the Conference Room.

• We’ll be taking part in boccia and curling fun in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon.

WEDNESDAY 20^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be on the children’s bedroom corridor facilitating sessions of massage and reflexology with our children and young people this morning.

• Weather permitting; we’ll be on a trip out in the minibus – destination to be confirmed.

• Our Cornerstones group for Derian grandparents will take place in the Seaside Room this morning.

• Derian Dads will meet for their monthly session in the Seaside Room from 7:30pm this evening.

THURSDAY 21^st

• Sensory water play will be held in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Pet therapy pooch Shuna will be here at the hospice for snuggles this morning.

• This afternoon, our children and young people will be enjoying fun and splashes in the hydrotherapy pool.

• John (Family Counsellor)’s fortnightly wellbeing session for all staff will take place in the Cinema from 4:00-4:30pm.

• Swimming lessons will held in the hydrotherapy pool from 4:00pm – 7:00pm today.

FRIDAY 22^nd

• External visitors will be visiting us for Professionals Day in the Lodge Conference Room today.

• Happy Hobbit Day! We’ll be taking part in a range of Lord of the Rings themed activities throughout the day, including Hobbit drawing games in the Messy PlayZone, and party games in the Sensory Room.

SATURDAY 23^rd

• Individual and group sessions of music therapy with Martha will take place in the House Snug this afternoon.

• Our monthly Children’s Family Stay and Play session will take place in the hospice from 1:30pm.

SUNDAY 24^th

• 10 of our fantastic supporters will take to the skies at Black Knights Parachute Centre as part of our final batch of divers in this year’s Dare for Derian campaign.

• It’s International Rabbit Day! To celebrate, we’ll be making collage pictures in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• What will we find on our garden scavenger hunt around the hospice grounds today?

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

Hi all,

Today (Wednesday 13th September) is World Sepsis Day and is a global day of awareness and fundraising to fight a devastating condition that accounts for 11 million deaths worldwide each year. Public knowledge still has a long way to go – as one in five people haven’t heard of sepsis – and one in three would not treat sepsis as a medical emergency. Timely intervention is crucial, because it is often treatable if caught early. So it is important to inform yourself with potentially life-saving information…

Awareness really can saves lives. To get started, please take a few minutes to complete my Sepsis Quiz, to test your newly-acquired knowledge or you may have seen my QR code on the September newsletter which you can scan to access the sepsis quiz using your phone device.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=L4KxNBc8uk-2fphc2W8kLyB_ZGosp-5FptwpxsMYuExUN0RRSExOR0dYWVU1MkZVUVhDWkhDOTFBUS4u

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to speak to the sepsis champions here at Derian House

Hi everyone,

We have been gifted a limited number of tickets to this Friday 15th September’s Leigh Leopards v Trinity rugby league game at Leigh Sports Village Stadium, kick off 8pm.

All of our Derian families who were interested have been allocated tickets, and there are a few remaining; therefore these will be issued on a first-come-first-served basis.

Please let me know ASAP if you would like tickets and I will do my best to accommodate your request. You have until 11am tomorrow morning before I let Leigh Leopards know the names of people attending – tickets will then be left at the box office to collect on the night J

Our Housekeeping Team, aka the Pink Ladies, are the unsung heroes of the hospice, ensuring that all of our areas are constantly spotless and sparkling! ✨

On #HousekeepingAppreciationWeek, we’d like to thank them for their hard work – without them, viruses would spread and our facilities wouldn’t be safe for the children and young people in our care 💚

To Nic, Mags, Lynn, Alison and Pam – we appreciate you so much! 🥰

MONDAY 11^th

• Trustees are in the house for the Finance and Income Sub-Committee, which will take place this afternoon in the Wellbeing Suite (the new Green Room/Vinten Meeting Room).

• Our children and young people will be getting arty with carrots and cauliflower this morning in a vegetable printing session held in the Messy PlayZone.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be delivering tailored massages and reflexology to our in-house children and young people this morning in the children’s bedrooms.

• It’s movie time! What will we decide to watch in the Cinema this afternoon?

TUESDAY 12^th

• Derian Playgroup for our babies and toddlers will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 11:30am.

• Join Gareth the gardener in the Greenhouse this morning for plant potting fun.

• We’ll be making a splash in the hydrotherapy pool this afternoon.

WEDNESDAY 13^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• A group of our Lodgers will be on a trip out to Space Centre today for sensory fun.

• Bereaved Derian Dads will meet in the Seaside Room from 7:00pm – 9:30pm this evening.

THURSDAY 14^th

• Gareth Pierce, CEO of Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice will be visiting the hospice.

• Beep beep! Our children and young people will be designing their own car in the Messy PlayZone this morning!

• Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will be facilitating a session of Sensory Story Time for our in-house children and young people this afternoon.

• Swimming lessons will held in the hydrotherapy pool from 4:00pm – 7:00pm today.

FRIDAY 15^th  

• Let’s get messy with some outdoor syringe painting in the Sensory Garden this morning.

• We’ll be going on a themed sensory journey this afternoon in the Sensory Room.

SATURDAY 16^th

• It’s International Red Panda Day, so we’ll be doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone.

• Pet therapy pooch Tallulah will be visiting the hospice with her human Claire.

• Join us in Danni’s Diner for yummy baking fun, where we’ll be making some tasty treats to take home.

• 45 Derian supporters will be tackling on of the UK’s toughest obstacle courses, Born Survivor, to raise vital funds for Derian House. Between them, the dedicated squad have already raised almost £10,000!

SUNDAY 17^th  

• Our in-house children and young people will be enjoying a session of hydrotherapy this morning, before relaxing with a session of Sensory Story Time this afternoon.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

TUESDAY 5^th

• We’re welcoming back our Derian families back for the first Playgroup of the term, open to all of our babies and pre-schoolers.

• The Strategic HR Sub-Committee will take place this afternoon in the Conference Room.

• What’s that smell? It’s Smelly Bingo time in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon!

• Individual and group sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be held in the Snug from 2:00pm today.

WEDNESDAY 6^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Karen (CEO) is attending a GM Hospices meeting at St Ann’s Hospice today.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be delivering tailored massages and reflexology to our in-house children and young people this morning in the Sensory Room.

• Children and young people from Rainbow Hub will be here at the hospice for hydrotherapy fun this morning.

THURSDAY 7^th

• The weekly Team Huddle will take place in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• We’ll be welcoming a volunteering group from AO once again, who’ll be supporting Gareth (Gardener) in our gardens for the day.

• Today is World Duchenne Awareness Day, so our Education Team will be printing off information posters for anyone who’s interested in learning more.

• Pet Therapy pooch Shuna will be here at the hospice with her human Linda for a mooch around the hospice.

• John (Family Counsellor) will be facilitating a wellbeing session from 4:00pm in the Cinema. Anyone is welcome to pop along for half an hour of relaxation.

• Karen (CEO) will be visiting Reuben’s Retreat today for a visit with their CEO.

• Join us in the Messy PlayZone for arts and craft fun this morning.

• Our in-house children and young people will be enjoying splashes in the hydrotherapy pool, with swimming lessons taking place from 4:00pm – 7:00pm.

FRIDAY 8^th

• Coffee Morning for our Derian families will held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 11:30am today.

• Baking fun in Danni’s Diner will be facilitated by the Wellbeing & Play team this afternoon.

SATURDAY 9^th

• Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will be running a Sensory Story Time session in the House Lounge this afternoon.

SUNDAY 10^th

• 24 Derian House supporters will be taking part in the Great North Run today. Good luck to everyone involved – they’ve so far raised over £8,500 for their local children’s hospice!

• The Messy PlayZone will be a sports arena this morning, as our children and young people take part in Boccia, bowling and curling fun.

• We’re off on a walk to Astley Park to feed the ducks… get your wellies on, it’s going to be a wet one!

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

Hello Team Derian,

Thank you for a great staff away day on Monday at Brockholes, it was wonderful to see everyone together from across all areas of the charity, and lovely to see people meet who had not met before despite working at Derian for years!

The power of communication ad conversation resulted in a huge amount of feedback (which is exactly as I had hoped) but it will take a week or so for me to run through it, reflect and then come back to you all with some next steps action.

Thanks again for your openness and honesty.

One of the key messages that I heard loud and clear was the need for clarity on leadership and management, and as you know this is something that I have been working on over recent weeks.  Whilst a full new structure is not yet in place I did want to share with you the developments so far.

A new SLT (Strategic Leadership Team) has been formed, this small group of Directors will support me in the delivery of our strategic aims.  Joining me on the new SLT are:

Director of Clinical Services                                                   Lynn and then Catherine

Director of People & Organisational Development           Kim Owen

Director of Income and Engagement                                   Caroline Taylor

The new SLT above enables a wider management team to begin to be formed to lead the day to day operations of our organisation.  This SMT initially looks like:

Head of Finance                                                                        Colin Taylor

Head of Facilities & Infrastructure                                       Luke Bateson

Head of Quality, Governance & Compliance                      Lee Seymour (starts in October)

Head of Integrated Care                                                          Ruth Islip

Head of Family & Wellbeing Services                                  Dawn Andrews

It is likely that over the coming months other roles will join the new SMT as we develop the new structure.

In addition, we have created a new Marketing & Communications Manager position which Cameron Murray has been promoted in to, and a Lead ACP role, which Kevin Urdhin has been appointed to.

I can also confirm that Andrew Upton Ford has now left Derian House, and Mick Croskery will lead our new Retail Strategy alongside managing our Fundraising activity, in the new role of Head of Income Generation.

Developing a structure for the future is key to achieving our ambitions, both in relation to culture and strategy, this is the start and I wish everyone well in their given roles.

As the development work on the structure concludes over the coming weeks we will then produce an organisation chart and set up the new meeting structures and terms of reference etc

Any questions please ask….

We’ve had two new members of staff enter our brood over the last few weeks, so here’s a bit about them and why they’ve joined the team here at Derian House!

Adam Halliday – Catering Manager

Adam has spent most of his varied career in the hospitality industry, starting out as a chef for council functions. After 16 years at the helm of pubs across Chester, Wrexham and Stoke, he gave up cheffing to work at franchises of Subway and Starbucks across the region.

Our new Catering Manager sought out the job at Derian House after a desire to make a return to cooking. The opportunity came up, he gave it a whirl – and here he is today.

During his first month with us, Adam has loved trying out new things. He’s excited about using his expertise to enhance our dining experience here at the hospice… and we think you’ll all agree that he’s doing an excellent job!

Outside of work, Adam’s main focuses are three things – football, the allotment, and his three-year-old grandson Noah. He’s a diehard Tranmere Rovers fan – but only because he wasn’t allowed anywhere near Liverpool or Everton as a kid!

FUN FACT: Adam has met lots of ministers in his working life… and even the Queen of England!

Angela Bolton – Performance & Data Lead

Angela joins the team after a whopping 32 years with the NHS, where she spent a large part of her career as a paediatric therapist. Whilst she was there, she earned a Masters degree in Health Informatics, after taking an interest in how data can improve services.

Our new Queen of Data (unofficial title!) actually saw the Derian House job advertisement on her birthday, and it ticked every single box – not only was it the first job she’d seen where she could apply herself to every aspect of the role, but she also sought a rewarding job where she would be valued.

Angela is most looking forward to starting a totally different adventure outside of the NHS, and knowing that she’s doing it for such a good cause. Making a difference to a local charity is extremely important to her, and being a part of a dedicated team.

When she’s not at work, Angela is dog mum to 18-month-old Bordie Collie, Jess, and absolutely loved taking her for walks. Her three boys have all recently moved out, so she’s turning one of the bedrooms in her home into a sewing room – where she’ll probably be spending most of her free time!

FUN FACT: Angela is also mum to a talking African Grey parrot called Rica!

Hi everyone,

On Tuesday 5^th September 2023 we are launching our Christmas Raffle Campaign, which will give our donors the chance of winning £5,000! The campaign will run for 13 weeks and will close Friday 8^th December 2023, with the draw taking place on the Friday 15^th December 2023.

Online tickets will go live on our website from 5^th September and books of raffle tickets will land on the doorsteps from 25^th September.

Staff, volunteers and Trustees CANNOT enter the raffle

Unfortunately, all employees, volunteers and trustees of Derian House Children’s Hospice and their immediate families are explicitly excluded from entering the Derian House Raffle.

Please note “immediate families” means spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses regardless of where they live.

What to do if you receive a raffle ticket enquiry:

During office hours (9-5 Mon–Fri):
–  Any enquiries direct to Sarah Proctor (Ext 209)

Out of office hours evenings and weekends):

– Direct any enquires to our website – www.derianraffle.co.uk to purchase online tickets. Alternatively, ask them to call the Fundraising Team on 01257 271 271 during office hours.

If you have any queries or questions, please speak to Sarah Proctor in Fundraising directly.

TUESDAY 29^th

• We’ll be welcoming back our families for the final Family Day Care this summer! They’ll be enjoying a forest-themed day of activities throughout the day.

• Sand art fun with Arron (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will take place in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon.

WEDNESDAY 30^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us all with an hour of sing-along fun.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be delivering tailored massages and reflexology to our in-house children and young people this morning.

• Get your shoes on, we’re off on a walk to Astley Park after lunch to feed the ducks!

THURSDAY 31^st

• The weekly Care Team Huddle will be held in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• Our School’s Out lads will be back at the hospice for their final session of the summer. School’s In next week, boys!

• In-house children and young people will be enjoying a splash in the hydrotherapy pool this morning.

• Join us for an afternoon of arts and crafts fun in the Messy PlayZone.

FRIDAY 1^st

• Say hello to our new Director of Clinical Services, Catherine Randall, who will start at the hospice today.

• It’s almost time for the Great British Bake Off! To celebrate, we’ll be baking in Danni’s Diner this morning.

• Music and Movement with Claire (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will be held in the House Lounge this morning.

SATURDAY 2^nd  

• We’ll be ball painting in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

SUNDAY 3^rd  

• Let’s get gardening! Our children and young people will be potting plants in the Greenhouse today.

• A sensory TAC PAC session will take place in the Sensory Room this afternoon.

MONDAY 4^th

• We’re off out on a whole hospice trip to Brockholes for our full team away day. For anyone wanting a place on the Derian minibus – leaving at 8am – please email Kim (Head of People and Culture).

• Clinical Support Worker Joanne Fletcher will be joining our team today.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

Hi everyone,

Please find below the details regarding our Team Away Day on Monday 4^th September.

Directions & Parking

Brockholes have provided some useful directions and guidelines – see the attached which gives full details.  The centre is sign-posted at J31 of the M6 (brown signs).

Please park in the main car park and walk down to the conference centre next to the car parking machines.  You will not be required to pay for your parking HOWEVER you must log your car registration on arrival to take advantage of the free parking arrangement, otherwise you will be directly invoiced a parking fine.

Head for the Meadow Lake Suite – over the draw bridge – where we will all meet in The Reeding Room.  There will be a tablet in the entrance for you to record your car registration.

Richard has very kindly offered to drive the mini bus from Derian House to Brockholes for anyone who made need transport. The mini bus will leave at 8am.

Anyone wanting a seat on the minibus please let Kim Owen (Head of People & Culture) know, it will be on a first come first served basis.

The Day

You are not required to wear uniform (unless you wish to), and you won’t need outdoor clothing as everything is indoors.  Refreshments and lunch will be provided.  The day will start at 9.30am prompt, and you should arrive anytime from 9am.  We expect to end just after 4pm.

The day is themed in two parts, the morning will focus on Culture and getting the foundations right for growth, and the afternoon will focus on developing our new strategy for 2024 and beyond.

I’m really looking forward to the day, and hope that it is enjoyable and meaningful for everyone.

If you have any questions please do let either Kim or myself know.

MONDAY 21^st

• Karen (CEO) is visiting Jigsaw Hospice in Carlisle today.

• Say hello to our brand new Performance & Data Lead Angela Bolton, who starts with us at the hospice today.

• Our children and young people will be enjoying sessions of massage and reflexology with Denise (Complementary Therapist) this afternoon.

• Another batch of dedicated Derian supports will ‘Dare for Derian’ and dive 15,000ft out of a plane this afternoon, including our very own Ellie (Community Fundraiser).

TUESDAY 22^nd  

• Old Swan Films are back in the hospice filming a day in the life of Derian for their feature-length documentary ‘The Little Things.’

• Join Gareth the gardener in the greenhouse for bird feeder decorating fun this morning.

• Family Day Care is back in the Seaside Room today. We’ll be welcoming a bunch of our families for summer holiday fun!

• The new Counselling Pod in the woodland area will ‘officially’ open up its doors today. We’ll be doing a ribbon cutting and photo opportunity at 1:00pm.

• Our in-house children and young people will be embarking on a rainforest-themed sensory journey in the Sensory Room this afternoon.

• Individual and group sessions of music therapy with Martha will take place in the Snug from 2:00pm today.

WEDNESDAY 23^rd

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us with an hour of music fun.

• We’re going out on a trip in the Derian House minibus – where will we end up?

• Manisha Kumar (Chief Medical Officer – GM ICB) visiting with Karen (CEO) and Lynn (Director of Clinical Services) this morning.

• Lodge Day Care will be full of fun, as our young people enjoy a day of craft door signs, a trip to Smile Park, and sensory messy play.

• Our Derian Dads will meet in the Conference Room from 7:30pm – 9:00pm this evening.

THURSDAY 24^th

• The weekly Care Team Huddle will be held in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• Let’s get our bodies moving, it’s music and movement time with Claire (Wellbeing & Play Worker).

• Our School’s Out lads will be back at the hospice for another summer holiday session.

• Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will lead swimming lessons for our children and young people in the Hydrotherapy Pool this afternoon.

• John (Family Counsellor)’s fortnightly wellbeing session for all staff will be held in the Cinema from 4:00pm.

• Pet therapy fun with Shuna and her human Linda will happen in and around the hospice this morning.

FRIDAY 25^th

• In-house CYP will be making wind chimes in the Sensory Garden this morning.

• Continuing our day of arts and crafts, we’ll be in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon making clay coasters.

• We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo – how about you? Our Lodgers are off on a roar-some day out to Blackpool to see the animals… enjoy!

• Old Swan Films are back in the hospice filming for their Derian House documentary ‘The Little Things.’

SATURDAY 26^th  

• Woof woof! It’s International Dog Day, so we’re going to be doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Our in-house children and young people will be in the hydrotherapy pool for fun and splashes this morning.

• Lodge Family Day Care will take place over in the Lodge today. Our families will be visiting for a day of fun.

SUNDAY 27^th  

• Eyes down, it’s prize bingo time! Join us in Danni’s Diner – fingers crossed for a full house!

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

Hello everyone,

I am delighted to be able to share with you all that we have appointed Catherine Randall to the Director of Clinical Services position (designate initially).  Catherine has this morning formally accepted the position and is absolutely delighted to be joining the team, she is looking forward to starting the role in September.

I am personally really happy with the appointment, Catherine has a wealth of experience within the health system, locally regionally and nationally, and will ensure that Derian remains at the forefront of children’s palliative care, building on the great work so far.  Her relationships within the commissioning world are going to be extremely valuable, alongside her 37yr nursing background.  After a very strategic role as the national lead for safeguarding with NHSE, she is looking forward to getting directly involved in leading our clinical practice and working with myself and the whole team in shaping services going forward.

Catherine’s start date is yet to be confirmed but it is hoped that she will attend the away day on the 4^th September.

Huge thanks to everyone who has supported the process.  Catherine was very complimentary of everyone she met and commented how impressed she was with our robust assessment processes (I don’t think she had ever been put through her paces in this way!!)

As always, if you have any questions please give me a shout.

Have as great weekend

MONDAY 14^th

• Old Swan Films are back in the hospice filming back-to-back interviews for their Derian House documentary ‘The Little Things.’

• It’s World Lizard Day! We’ll be celebrating with themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be perusing the bedroom corridor to deliver massage and reflexology sessions to our in-house children and young people.

• Our super siblings will be back at the hospice for summer scheme shenanigans from 1:00pm – 3:00pm today.

• A group of Derian’s young people will be at Lodge Day Care for gaming fun today.

TUESDAY 15^th 

• Join Gareth the gardener in the greenhouse for gardening fun this morning.

• Our latest session of Family Day Care will be based in the Seaside Room today. We’ll be welcoming a bunch of our families for summer holiday fun!

• Let’s get baking! We’ll be making some tasty treats in Danni’s Diner this morning to take home.

WEDNESDAY 16^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us with an hour of music fun.

• Our children and young people are off to Astley Park this afternoon to feed the ducks.

THURSDAY 17^th

• The weekly Care Team Huddle will be held in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• The staff engagement sessions for the new Clinical Director will take place in the Seaside Room from 10:30am – 12:30pm today.

• Let’s get our bodies moving, it’s music and movement time with Claire (Wellbeing & Play Worker).

• Our School’s Out lads will be back at the hospice for another summer holiday session.

FRIDAY 18^th

• Sixteen of our incredible Derian supporters will be taking to the skies at Black Knights Parachute Centre today for the (rescheduled due to poor weather conditions!) Dare for Derian.

• It’s Friday, so let’s kick back, relax, and enjoy a Spa Day! We’ll be enjoying foot spas, fingernail and toenail painting in the Sensory Room this morning.

• Our children and young people will be enjoying individual and group sessions with Martha in the Snug from 2:00pm this afternoon.

SATURDAY 19^th

• To celebrate International Orang-utan Day, we’ll be doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Her name is Tallulah, and she’s visiting us with her human Claire today for pet therapy fun!

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will take place in the House Lounge this afternoon.

• A baking-themed session of Lodge Day Care will take place in the Lodge today.

SUNDAY 20^th

• Another day, another Dare for Derian event! Today, a whopping 48 Derian House supporters will jump 15,000 out of a plane to raise vital funds for their local children’s hospice.

• Our in-house children and young people will be in the hydrotherapy pool for fun and splashes this morning.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

S.O.S……… we need your help!

Our shops urgently need volunteers. Do you know someone who fancies themselves as a stylist or a personal shopper? Does your bestie have a passion for pre-loved shopping or a family member who knows their high street fashion from a designer label – then this is the prefect role for them.

We have five charity shops – Chorley, Horwich, Blackburn, Preston and Leigh who all desperately need volunteers to organise stock, create window displays to providing a friendly welcome to customers.

Volunteers are being asked to commit as little as one morning or afternoon per week and in return we will provide a free lunch, travel expenses and in store discount.

Details of the roles and our online application can be found on our website or you can get in touch with Fran our Volunteer Services Coordinator in the hospice.

Please help us spread the word by sharing with all your friends and family!

Hello all,

Just a couple of polite notices around the fleet cars:

Parking

We all know the car park can get extremely busy and it can be difficult to get a space, however, there has been an increasing amount of fleet cars left in unsuitable places. If you return from your journey and there is nowhere appropriate to park we will ask you to check for available spaces later on in the day and move the car into a bay before you finish your shift.

This is especially important for the electric cars as they need to be charged properly overnight for use the next day. Our estates team are happy to help us where possible, but given they leave at 4pm, it is inevitable that some cars will need to be moved after this time. It will be the responsibility of the person having last used the car to ensure it is left in a convenient space.

Cancelling a Car

If you need to cancel your car booking please email the fleet email address. This ensures it is removed from the calender and the space can then be offered to those on the waiting list. If you “decline” your invitation this does not notify us and the booking remains in the car calender.

Your cooperation with this is much appreciated J

MONDAY 7^th

• It’s Sea Serpent Day! Let’s make a giant serpent in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Our female Lodgers are enjoying a Girls Day, with plenty of activities – including baking and crafts – taking place throughout the day.

TUESDAY 8^th

• To celebrate International Cat Day, we’re doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone from 11:00am.

• Our latest session of Family Day Care will be based in the Seaside Room today. We’ll be welcoming a batch of our families for summer holiday fun!

• Old Swan Films will be back at the hospice for more filming of their documentary – The Little Things. Thanks to everyone for all of your support with this so far.

• Individual and group sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will take place in the Snug this afternoon.

• Join us in Smile Park for parachute games this afternoon.

WEDNESDAY 9^th

• Music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us with an hour of music fun.

• Our in-house children and young people will be taking part in a guided journey and massage in the Sensory Room this morning.

• We’ve got another Lodge Girls Day Care session planned, where it’s time to kick back and relax with a spa pamper!

• We’re off on a trip out in the minibus this afternoon – where will it take us this week?

THURSDAY 10^th

• The weekly Care Team Huddle will be held in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• ROAR! It’s World Lion Day, so join us in the Messy PlayZone this morning for safari fun.

• Some of our super siblings will join us for the Sibling Summer Scheme, based in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm today.

• Our School’s Out lads will be at the hospice for another summer holiday session.

• John (Family Counsellor) is back with a wellbeing session for all staff in the Cinema from 4:00pm.

FRIDAY 11^th  

• What’s that smell? It’s Smelly Bingo time! We’ll be playing from 11:00am in the Messy PlayZone.

• Sensory Story Time will take place in the House Lounge this afternoon.

• Old Swan Films will be in and around the hospice once again, filming for the documentary today.

• Our Lodgers are off out on a trip in the minibus to the Trafford Centre for a game of bowling.

SATURDAY 12^th

• To celebrate World Elephant Day, we’ll be doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone this morning, followed by balloon tennis in the Sensory Garden this afternoon.

SUNDAY 13^th

• It’s time to celebrate all things super, at our latest Open Gardens: HEROES event which will take place in the hospice grounds today from 10:00am – 4:00pm. There’ll be plenty for all the family to enjoy, including police demonstrations, a fire engine, and even Stormtroopers!

• You’ll catch our youngsters in the hydrotherapy pool this morning, where they’ll be enjoying fun and splashes all morning.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

Hi All,

Next month is September which is Sepsis Awareness Month.

Sepsis is a medical emergency and its symptoms must be treated rapidly to reduce the risk of death. As part of Sepsis Awareness Month and as part of my champion role I am encouraging everyone to learn the signs of sepsis. As many as 80% of sepsis deaths could be prevented with early detection and treatment.

If everyone could please take the time to learn the signs. You could save a life.

Please look out for the posters and other educational materials including toolkits I have distributed about the hospice.

I will be sending out a quiz in September for everyone to take part in to help raise the awareness of sepsis. If anyone has any questions or wants any more information around sepsis please feel free to speak with me or send me an email.

Grab your tickets to Open Gardens next weekend, where the weather FINALLY looks as though it’s going to be a hero for us! 

 https://tinyurl.com/ycx63hhm

Our popular outdoor event is BACK this summer, and this time around we’ll be celebrating all things heroes 

On Sunday 13th August, we’ll be throwing open our garden gates for a fun-filled day that all the family can enjoy – in association with the National Garden Scheme 

Not only will there be an opportunity to explore our stunning hospice grounds, but there’s all of this to enjoy too 

 Meet your favourite heroes
 Local fire and police demonstrations
 Glitter face paint and superhero tattoos
 Sweet treats

As always, there’ll be plenty of plants available to purchase, homemade cakes, refreshments and ice cream, and the chance to chat with our incredible team 

Tickets are just £3, with children and dogs going FREE! 

MONDAY 31^st

• Happy Birthday Harry Potter! We’ll be celebrating with themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be leading sessions of massage and reflexology in the children’s bedrooms this afternoon.

TUESDAY 1^st

• Come on you Lionesses! We’re celebrating the Women’s World Cup with football fun on Smile Park this morning.

• Our next session of Family Day Care will be based in the Seaside Room today. We’ll be welcoming a batch of our families for summer holiday fun!

• Individual and group sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will take place in the Snug this afternoon.

WEDNESDAY 2^nd

• After last week’s inaugural Sibling Summer Scheme, another batch of our Derian brothers and sisters will be in the Seaside Room for summer holiday fun from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

• Our music teacher Rachel will be in the Snug from 11:00am to entertain us with an hour of music fun.

• We’re off on a trip out in the minibus today – where will we end up?!

THURSDAY 3^rd

• The weekly Care Team Huddle will be held in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• Youth Forum will be held in the Lodge Diner from 2:00pm this afternoon.

• Our School’s Out lads will be at the hospice for another summer holiday session.

• We’ll be enjoying parachute games on Smile Park this morning… weather depending!

FRIDAY 4^th  

• It’s International Owl Awareness Day (if you didn’t already have it in your diaries), so naturally we’ll be having a hoot and indulging in themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Join us in the Sensory Garden for sand art fun this afternoon.

SATURDAY 5^th

• Our in-house children and young people will be making a splash in the hydrotherapy pool this morning.

SUNDAY 6^th

• What will we find on our scavenger hunt in the Woodland Walk?

• Let’s get baking in Danni’s Diner and make some yummy treats to take home.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• Who’s joining us at Open Gardens: HEROES? Our latest garden event of the year, in association with the National Garden Scheme, will take place in the hospice grounds next Sunday 13^th August from 10:00am – 4:00pm. There’ll be plenty for all the family to enjoy, including police demonstrations, a fire engine, and even Stormtroopers!

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

🥇 GOLD
🏆 BEST IN SHOW

We’ve only gone and won the top prize at Chorley Council‘s Chorley Flower Show! 🤩

Gareth the gardener and his trusty team of volunteers are showcasing their (award-winning!) Community & Schools Garden Competition entry all weekend, and this year’s Derian creation is inspired by Oscar’s Everest Walk 🥾

With less than a week to go until the super six-year-old and his tribe attempt the National Three Peaks Challenge in just 24 hours, Oscar popped by Astley Park just in time for us to be awarded the prestigious prize by a panel of judges ✨

Fancy seeing our garden in all its glory? You’ll have to wait until next week… 🤫

…or you can get on down to Chorley Flower Show this weekend for plenty of flower-themed family fun, speak with our volunteers about the work they do here at Derian House, and read all about Oscar Burrow’s phenomenal fundraising efforts in his quest to climb the height of Mount Everest 💚

WELL DONE GARETH AND TEAM!

MONDAY 24^th

• Our children and young people will be enjoying messy tactile arty fun in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Denise (Complementary Therapist) will be hosting sessions of reflexology and massages for our children and young people in-house.

• We Are Derian will take place in the Seaside Room at 2:00pm this afternoon. Everyone is welcome to pop along and give an update on what their team is up to. The main point of discussion for this meeting will be around our mission and purpose, so please come along with ideas about what direction you think Derian should be going/what aims we should have for the future.

TUESDAY 25^th

• We’ll be in the Greenhouse for gardening fun with Gareth this morning.

• Our first Family Day Care of the summer will be based from the Seaside Room today. We’ll be welcoming a batch of our families for summer holiday fun!

• It’s Derian Scavenger Hunt time! We’ll be in and around the hospice trying to find clues this afternoon.

WEDNESDAY 26^th

• Derian Grandparents will meet up at Cornerstones this morning in the Seaside Room.

• Referral Panel will be held in the Conference Room this morning.

• Resident music teacher, Rachel, is back in the Snug and ready to entertain us all with a music session from 11:00am this morning.

• Old Swan Films will be back in the building to continue filming their documentary all about Derian House, The Little Things (both today and tomorrow).

• We’re off on a trip out in the minibus today – where will we end up?!

THURSDAY 27^th

• The weekly Care Team Huddle will be held in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• Pet Therapy pooch Shuna will be here at the hospice with her human Linda for snuggles and strokes.

• Our School’s Out lads will be at the hospice for their first session of the summer.

• MP and Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, will be visiting us this morning (TBC).

FRIDAY 28^th

• We’re going for Gold for a second consecutive year at Chorley Flower Show, kicking off today in Astley Park and continuing all weekend. This year, our theme is Mount Everest to celebrate the fundraising efforts of Oscar Burrow, who’ll be in attendance this morning. Good luck!

• Our CYP will be baking yummy rainbow cakes in Danni’s Diner this morning.

• Let’s get our bodies moving, it’s time for music and movement with Claire (Wellbeing & Play Worker).

SATURDAY 29^th

• Grrrrrrrr! It’s World Tiger Day today, so we’ll be doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone to celebrate.

• Some of our Derian families will be attending Family Stay & Play today in the Conference Room.

SUNDAY 30^th

• We’ll be having fun and making lots of splashes in the hydrotherapy pool this morning.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

MONDAY 17^th

• Our children and young people will be enjoying messy tactile arty fun in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Trustees will be here at the hospice for a workshop this afternoon.

TUESDAY 18^th

• Derian Playgroup for our toddlers and their families will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:30am – 12:00pm. This will be the last one before we kick-start our summer holiday of fun!

• Gareth the gardener will be running a gardening session for our CYP in the Greenhouse this morning.

WEDNESDAY 19^th

• Our Derian Dads group will meet in the Seaside Room this evening for their monthly catch-up.

• Resident music teacher, Rachel, is back in the Snug and ready to entertain us all with a music session from 11:00am this morning.

• Our children and young people are off to Rainbow Hub for an afternoon of rebound therapy fun.

THURSDAY 20^th

• The weekly Care Team Huddle will be held in the Care Team Office from 9:30am. Someone from each team is encouraged to pop along and give an update.

• John Pilling (Family Counsellor)’s fortnightly wellbeing session for all staff will be held in the Cinema from 4:00pm. Take some time out to relax and unwind.

• Fingers crossed the weather stays kind for our games morning on Smile Park!

FRIDAY 21^st

• We’ll play host to a children’s hospice meeting with representatives from Brian House and Jigsaw this afternoon.

• Eyes down, it’s Prize Bingo time! We’ll be shouting out numbers in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• Our CYP will be endorsing in miniature herb garden creating fun outside in the Sensory Garden this afternoon.

• Friday Night Club will take place in the Lodge from 6:00pm – 9:00pm this evening.

SATURDAY 22^nd

• Splish splash! Our children and young people will be enjoying fun and splashes in the hydrotherapy pool this morning!

SUNDAY 23^rd

• We’ve got a day of summer fun planned, starting with parachute games on Smile Park, a break for ice cream treats, and the seaside stories on HMS Danni for the grand finale!

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to murray@derianhouse.co.ukbefore Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone! J

Dear all,

Please accept this invitation to a couple of workshops for the Lancashire and South Cumbria Children and Young People’s Palliative & End of Life Care Education Project.

The project structure will be presented in a workshop form. This is your opportunity for to come along and look at the bones of the programme and input in to the content. You are invited to comment and also to express any interest to be involved  in the development of the e- learning modules and/or face to face teaching sessions.

3pm -5:30pm 12^th and 13^th  July: CLINICAL SKILLS LAB