• Pilot scheme launched to feed parents while staying with their children at Bolton hospital
• Charity funding secured for the Resident Parents Food Provision Direct Support Programme
• Safe, relaxing space created for parents during their child’s stay in hospital

A brand new pilot scheme is being launched at Royal Bolton Hospital to feed parents who find themselves staying in hospital while their children are being cared for.

Funding has been secured for the Resident Parents Food Provision Direct Support Programme thanks to Sophie’s Legacy, working in partnership with NHSE.

Sophie’s Legacy was created in memorial of Sophie Fairall and the legacy of change she wanted to create. Sophie was just nine years old when she was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. This meant that she and her parents spent a lot of time in hospital.

One of the changes Sophie wanted to put in place is for parents to be fed when staying with their child. Taken from the foundation website: “She used to say ‘my mum has no choice but to be here, she is here because I am poorly yet she is not fed’.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust already provides parents with breakfast, however the parents then have to source their own lunch and supper during their child’s stay and inevitably costs can add up and cause yet another strain.

Jason Waggett, Catering Manager at iFM Bolton, said:

Ever since I listened to Charlotte’s motivational speech regarding her daughter and her experiences in hospital, it resonated with me. Having a nine year old daughter myself, I can only imagine how this must have felt.

“Working with Jackie, a Paediatric Nurse from the children’s ward, Our Bolton NHS Charity and Team 1C, we made Sophie’s Legacy a reality here in Bolton. This is something I am incredibly proud of.

“The parents’ kitchen is now a safer, more relaxing environment and we are providing meals and sandwiches for parents who are staying with their children in hospital. This means they no longer have to spend up to £18 per day purchasing food from within the hospital grounds.

“We were ecstatic when we were approved for the £5,000 funding to run this scheme, along with support from our amazing Our Bolton NHS Charity and Team 1C. This means we can run the scheme for up to three months, while we plan how to roll this out on a permanent basis in the future.

Our Bolton NHS Charity has funded the fridge freezer and Team 1C have provided furniture, a TV and crockery and cutlery for the parent kitchen and support through Social Sundays.

Jackie Forkin, Paediatric Nurse on E5 at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:

E5 Children and Young People’s Unit has been working on utilising FFT (Friends and Family Test) feedback to improve access to nutritious, healthy, and affordable food for parents and carers while their child is in hospital.

“We are deeply grateful to receive funding from NHS England and Sophie’s Legacy, as this support will enable us to better assist our parents and carers in achieving this goal.

“We are both excited and privileged to become a part of Sophie’s Legacy, and we look forward to making a positive impact on the well-being of our families.

David Hutton, Team 1C said:

Team 1C have a lived experience of spending long periods of time in hospitals so we know how important it is for parents to have access to facilities so they are in a fit state to look after their children.

“I have personally spent a lot of time on E5 with my little girl who had a heart condition (Long QT Syndrome) and she was always so well cared for by the staff here at Bolton. We love collaborating with other charities and working together to make things better for families during what can be a stressful and challenging time.

Sarah Skinner, Charity Manager at Our Bolton NHS Charity, said:

Having a child in hospital is difficult enough without the added stress and expense of leaving the ward to purchase a meal.

“When we heard the anticipated impact of providing food to resident parents, we jumped at the chance to be involved.

“By collaborating with other charities, including Sophie’s Legacy and Team 1C, we’re proudly demonstrating that our collective reach and impact can be far greater when we work together.