Here at Rockinghorse we fundraise for vital equipment and services supporting children and young people who need it the most. To support this aim, we have recently approved funding for several new, important projects across Sussex.
We are proud to introduce these projects, explain why they are important and give details about how you can donate towards them.
Neonatal ventilators
We have previously funded some ventilators for the High Dependency Unit at the Alex, providing support for hundreds of children during the past year.
We are now funding a neonatal version of the ventilators, specifically designed to help babies under 5kg be nursed at the hospital, avoiding transfer to hospital in London, therefore reducing the length of time they need to stay in hospital.
Blood pressure machine
Since the start of the pandemic, babies that would normally be seen on the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) are now attending their appointments on the post-natal ward at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH).
This means that there are more children being seen in the same area so this new blood pressure machine will help the babies be treated more quickly and not have to wait for other equipment to become available.
New Sensory Garden at the Alex
At Rockinghorse we understand the how important mental health and well-being is to children being treated in the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.
Which is why we are fundraising for a new sensory garden at the Alex. The current garden is in need of updating so it’s more accessible, safe and fun.
The new garden will be a relaxing, safe space for patients being treated, helping them forget about being in hospital. It will also be a space offering parents a welcome break from the hospital ward.
Sensory room at the OT Hub
The Specialist Occupational Therapy Team in Brighton works with children attending the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) to assess what additional needs and support they may have.
Children accessing the PRU may have sensory motor difficulties, speech and language issues and learning disabilities which mean they need additional support to re-enter mainstream school.
We are funding a new sensory room at the PRU so that the OT team can work with these children in a safe, therapeutic space which in turn enables them to accurately assess how best to support their development.
Mental health and wellbeing projects
We all know the impact that our mental health can have on our every day lives, especially after the problems we have all experienced during the last couple of years.
But imagine if you’re a young person trying your best to manage a chronic health condition, then being further challenged by having to isolate, moving you even further away from any kind of normal life.
This disruption causes stress, anxiety and isolation, for both children and their parents, which in turn leads to them being less able to manage their condition and in some cases even making it worse.
So we are funding a range of projects for these families aimed at reducing stress, feeling more connected to their peers, building resilience and improving their overall mental health and wellbeing.
These projects include trauma informed yoga classes, forest school sessions, creative and sensory equipment, self-help books and sea swimming for children with chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and many other long term, chronic health conditions.
All of these aim to help children feel better able to manage their conditions, normalise their experiences, feel less anxious but above all, have some fun!
But we can’t fund any of this vital equipment or life-changing projects without your help so please consider supporting us.
If you can make a donation to help, please click here. Or, take a look at our ‘Events’ page here to find a great fundraising event to take part in.
