Bedtime stories provide comfort for hospital kids

IPSWICH: Children staying at Ipswich Hospital will now be able to have the comfort of listening to their parents’ voices at night thanks to a generous charity donation.

IPSWICH: Children staying at Ipswich Hospital will now be able to have the comfort of listening to their parents’ voices at night thanks to a generous charity donation.

The Ipswich Children’s Book Group, a member of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups – a national charity – has donated some voice recorders to the wards so that those parents who are not able to stay at their children’s bedsides can record stories onto a machine for their children to listen to at night.

The group received a �500 grant to bring the Hospital Storytelling Project to the hospital, and it will also fund an illustrator to lead three workshops to help children create their own stories and artwork.

Ruth Pickover, hospital teacher, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for parents to be involved in their children’s journey through hospital. It will be comforting for them in a strange environment.”

The project has been supported by Ipswich Borough Council and Turnstone Revenue Arts grants, which are for individual performers, artists, groups and organisations and designed to help towards costs enabling them to deliver and develop arts activities in Ipswich. As well as providing books and equipment for families, the �500 grant will also fund sessions with local illustrator Bee Willie.

Shirley Imlach from the Ipswich Children’s Book Group, said: “Our book group is all about bringing children and books together in all situations. Children get comfort from books.”

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