IPSWICH Hospital's children's ward has celebrated its coming of age.After years of looking after youngsters from birth to 16, Bergholt Ward has matured, blossomed, and finally turned 21-years-old itself.

IPSWICH Hospital's children's ward has celebrated its coming of age.

After years of looking after youngsters from birth to 16, Bergholt Ward has matured, blossomed, and finally turned 21-years-old itself.

And to add to the ward's celebrations staff were recently given a bundle of presents including walkie talkies, duvet covers and pens, from an Ipswich scout group.

The Orwell Beaver Cubs and Scouts group donated �300 worth of equipment after holding a collection.

David Gingell, group scout leader and also a bedsite manager at Ipswich Hospital, said: “We like to donate to a children's charity because it is children raising the money.

“It makes them understand more where the money is going and some of them may have even used the hospital's services themselves.

“This is about children supporting other children and we are really pleased we can help out.”

Lee Dean, senior registered nurse on Bergholt Ward, said the patients and staff we always extremely grateful for donations.

“It is lovely to be given gifts as it means we have more things to help the children pass the time,” he said.

“It can be a bit dull for them in hospital.”

As the 21-bed ward celebrated its 21st birthday Mr Dean, who has worked on the ward for more than ten years, said it was looking forward to its future.

He added: “We all enjoy it, though it is hard work at times. We treat everything here from cancer to general surgery, and meningitis to tonsillitis.

“There have been changes over the years which means we now do more intensive treatments, and we are always changing the way we do things to care for children better.

“We try to focus on the family and it is family-centred care that we offer, often supporting the parents as well as the children.

“And we always remember that children are not just little adults, they need to be treated differently.”

Have you received high quality care from Bergholt Ward? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.

1988 - what else happened the year of Bergholt Ward's birth?

Wimbledon won the FA Cup after beating Liverpool 1-0 at Wembley in one of the greatest upsets in the history of football.

After more than eight years of fighting, the Soviet Union's Red Army begins withdrawing from Afghanistan.

Thousands of protesters in Burma are killed during anti-government demonstrations.

The UK government bans broadcast interviews with IRA members.

George Bush Snr is elected over Michael Dukakis in the US presidential elections.

The Clapham Junction rail crash kills 35 and injures 132.