Toy donations from a local school and rotary club are helping make Bradford children’s visits to hospital more fun.
St Luke’s Hospital Outpatients Department recently took delivery of extra special toys which are already proving a hit with young patients who visit for check-ups.
Pat Taylor, a member of Birstall Luddites Rotary Club and District 1040 youth lead which covers all of Yorkshire and north Lincolnshire, gives up her time to run a RotaKids Club for junior Rotarians aged between 7-and-11-years-old at Bradford Academy every Thursday between 1130am-1215pm.
Pat said: “RotaKids is an international service organization sponsored by Rotary for young children, focused on making a difference in their communities through fun, teamwork, and community service projects. Clubs, often based in schools, help children develop confidence, citizenship skills, and leadership abilities while making new friends and learning to contribute positively to society.
“Every week at Bradford Academy I take in art supplies and craft material and the students make lots of crafts like bookmarks, necklaces, bracelets, keyrings, ornaments, and Christmas gifts which they then go to sell at school to raise funds for good causes.
“The children chose the hospital themselves as it is a place which is very close to their hearts. Some have gone there to receive care while others have family who have been treated there, so it’s somewhere that they were keen to fundraise for.
“We’ve been running the club at Bradford Academy for three years now and the students really do enjoy it as they get great satisfaction out of raising funds to help other children who aren’t as fortunate or well off as themselves.”
Pat with a toy donated by the young people of Bradford Academy who attend RotaKids every Thursday
A large wooden crocodile has been placed at a low level as you enter the children’s department for younger children to enjoy, while other toys have been placed in clinic rooms as useful distractions during the children’s appointments with doctors.
Sister Debbie Griffith said: “We cannot thank Pat and the young people at Bradford Academy RotaKids enough as their gifts have made a real difference to our children’s time at St Luke’s.
“It’s great to see their little faces light up when they see new toys to play with and they items help distract them during appointments which can sometimes be long.
“Toys can also be crucial in helping children reach developmental goals and to cope with their feelings of anxiety. Play offers much comfort to children and helps in their recovery or rehabilitation, particularly when they have frequent hospital appointments.”