Leading developer Barratt and David Wilson Homes North West has donated £1,500 to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Charity Team to help fund its Children’s Appeal.
The donation was made as part of the Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, across the UK to leave a legacy in the communities in which the housebuilder operates.
The donation has helped to fund an interactive OmniVista projector system for children’s outpatients at the Royal Preston Hospital. It responds to gestures and movement to project games and other audio-visual effects on to any flat surface such as walls, floors and tables to keep young patients waiting for their appointment engaged, stimulated and relaxed.
The Children’s Appeal is dedicated to supporting the work of Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble Hospitals as well as Leyland’s Broadoaks Child Development Centre and all other local children’s facilities managed by the Trust. It helps fund the added extras and latest equipment and technology that make all the difference to patient comfort and care.
Lucy Clark, Appeal Fundraiser at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity, said: “The work of our charity is so important because, as wonderful as the NHS is, it can’t fund everything. There will always be a need for those added extras that can make all the difference to our patients.
“Through donations from our supporters we are able to help fund those items at our hospitals which are over and above what the NHS can provide, from specialist equipment to the latest research projects, making a difference to the thousands of patients treated at our hospitals every year.
“The OmniVista projector system provides entertainment and play for children of all abilities. Many of the children who attend the clinic have additional needs and are in wheelchairs. The projection systems not only react to hands and feet, but wheelchair wheels too, which means they can join in the fun of playing with the other children in the waiting area.”
As well as this, the projector system is also mobile, which ensures patients that may have to remain isolated or are unable to leave their clinic rooms will also be able to enjoy the new equipment.
Lucy added: “Support such as this is incredibly important, now more than ever, when charities have been hit by the pandemic. Put simply, charities wouldn’t exist without charitable support, so it’s important to give back when you can, as the donations really can make such a difference.
“This is why we are so thankful to our donors, fundraisers and volunteers for all of their help!”
With the hospital located just 3.5 miles from Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ Romans Green and Lightfoot Meadows developments in Preston, the developer wanted to make a positive impact on the communities.
Rob Holbrook, Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes North West, said: “As a leading developer, it is important that we support organisations and charities in our surrounding areas in order to leave a positive impact in the communities in which we build.
“The Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity is a fantastic organisation that provides our NHS service with extra support which has been needed more than ever in the last year.
“In these difficult times, we are encouraging everyone to continue to support local causes like this, we’ve been huge ambassadors for working together to support each other, but team spirit is needed now more than ever before.”