Quiet room at Zoe's Place

A refuge has been set aside for parents visiting a new children's hospice on the outskirts of Bedworth.



They can console each other, share moments of happiness and heartbreak and gather their thoughts in a dedicated Quiet Room at Zoe's Place.

Purpose built, the hospice at Ash Green is the first in Warwickshire solely dedicated to the care of babies and infants under the age of five.

The hospice, which relies heavily on donations, has already tugged at the heartstrings of people in the Nuneaton and Bedworth area.

It has triggered off donations from individuals, groups and organisations and the Heart of England Co-operative Society's Helping Hearts Award Scheme made a grant of £2,000 towards the cost of the Quiet Room.

The Heart of England Co-operative Society was one of its first corporate sponsors and chief executive Ali Kurji said:"We are delighted to be able to support Zoe's Place."

He added: "During a recent event celebrating the arrival of Zoe's Place in the Midlands, we heard from the relatives of a child who had benefited from the charity's facility in Liverpool.

"No-one at that event could fail to be moved by some of the tales of happiness, sadness, hope and inspiration that came out.

"Zoe's place is a fantastic facility which will benefit hundred of families in years to come and we are delighted to have been involved in the project from its infancy."

Costing £900,000, the hospice provides respite and one-to-one palliative care for children with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses and special complex needs.

Six babies can be cared for at any one time and it is expected to benefit around 40 families in Nuneaton, Bedworth, Coventry and Warwickshire each year.

They have specially made cots and can use a multi-sensory pod. soft play equipment and toys adapted to their particular needs.

But the hospice costs around £700,000 to run and will have to rely heavily on charitable donations for its funding.

Richard Whateley, national director of Zoe's Place, said: "Our thanks go to the Heart of England Co-operative Society which has been of tremendous support to us in the opening of this new facility.

"This is our first purpose-built facility in the UK so it is a hugely exciting development for us and we know it will prove to be of tremendous benefit to families of children with life-threatening or life -limiting illnesses."

He added: "We would urge anyone else who would like to support Zoe's Place, either in terms of volunteer work, or through donations, to do so."

The hospice can be contacted by emailing generalinfo@zoes-place.org.uk or by telephoning 024 7636 1675.