UPDATE:  This has now been provided

Approximately 5,000 children a year have used the Outdoor Play Area attached to the Children’s unit at Chester since its creation 10 years ago. The equipment is now aging and has been deemed unsafe for use. The staff at the Countess of Chester have approached us for help in a major redevelopment of the area to extend its use to all patients.

The new play area will extend access to allow all patients to enjoy the area, in particular focussing on wheelchair and bed-bound patients. The scheme includes a variety of static play equipment, as well as a cycle track, a grass area for mobile toys, swings, an area with play equipment designed for use by bed-bound patients, a climbing frame with slide and a covered seating area for the older patients to sit.

This will create much greater opportunity for socialising amongst the children, as well as somewhere for patients to go with family and friends when visiting, rather than being restricted to medical environments.

The Children’s Unit handles patients with a multitude of problems, from birth to age 15. Patients may be on the unit from just a few hours to many months. The major benefit of this outside facility to all patients is to provide an escape from the hospital environment. Day Case patients may be very anxious in an unfamiliar environment. Being able to go outside whilst waiting for an operation or other medical procedure can take away the fear and anxiety that being on a ward can create. The long-term patients benefit hugely from getting out of their rooms, to avoid a sense of being institutionalised.

Medical staff are convinced that reducing the stress of being in hospital can have a dramatic effect on a child. Health gains include enhancement of recovery, physical activity, increased mobility and overall improvement in well-being.

The garden is being developed in three phases. The funding for phase one is now secured, and work has begun. This includes the removal of old equipment, laying new surfaces and purchasing some of the static play equipment. 

We are now fundraising for Phase Two, which includes the purchase of the large climbing frame with the slide and other landscaping work. The total cost of this phase including labour is £28,816.77. We have now reached this target, and work on the garden is almost complete. Following discussion with the play staff at the hospital, we have now agreed to fund benches and decoration to enhance the area, at a total cost of £1,500.00.