Last Sunday, the hospice hosted a sunshine-filled day of festive fun for the children and their families. There were lots of laughter, smiles, animals and a few Easter treats too.
Our staff and volunteers were joined by special guests Farmer Gow’s, Spread a Smile and volunteer Pianist Paul who helped put on a fantastic day of entertainment for everyone. We’d like to thank all of them for making the day so special for our children and families.
Farmer Gow’s brought with him Tina the Turkey, Micky and Simba the lambs who the children fed with milk, Grace the goose and chickens Thelma and Louise who the children loved having cuddles with.
Spread a Smile’s facepainter decorated the children’s faces beautifully with rainbows, unicorns and footballs and some of the mum’s also joined in too. The children loved the Spread a Smile Magician who entertained them all with his wonderful magic tricks and made balloon animals and flowers.
Our pianist volunteer Paul added to the fun with his wonderful piano rendition of ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ while the children laughed and played with the bubbles from the bubble machine, danced and posed with the Happy Easter frame.
A hopping good day
As well as music, bubbles, animals and singing, the children also had the opportunity to get crafty with their family’s making Easter cards and painting an Easter bunny.
Easter biscuit decorating was a huge hit with the children as they decorated their biscuits with icing and sprinkles and got to take them home in a special personlised box.
What would an Easter party be without an Easter egg hunt? The children were able to run around and enjoy the sunshine in the garden while hunting down some sweet treats. And while the children played, the families were also able to meet eachother and have a welcome rest.
There was also a fantastic tea party filled with delicious cakes and party food made by our amazing in-house chefs.
The children also all received a goody bag to take home each filled with Easter activities, crafts and, of course, an easter egg too!
Benefits of hospice parties
While our hospice parties are an opportunity for fun, they also have huge benefits for the children and families who come.
Meeting and playing with animals can be very therapeutic for the children allowing them to relax. It also gives them a chance to have a new experience – they may never have met a Turkey like Tina, or a lamb like Mickey or Simba before. Stroking their fur and feeding them gives the children a new sensory experience, and also a fun memory to share with their family.
All our families are invited to our special parties. This gives parents, carers and siblings a chance to catch up with the care team and of course to meet eachother and get chatting about their shared experiences.
The hospice offers a safe space to do the things they may not necessarily be able to do at home.
Some photos from the party
