Shearer kicks off charity’s extension plan

May 2 2008 by Jule Wilson, The Journal

FOOTBALL hero Alan Shearer has launched a special charity appeal that will transform the lives of children needing treatment at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI).

The former Newcastle United and England striker got the ball rolling for the Raise The Roof Appeal for the Sick Children’s Trust yesterday, which aims to raise £470,000 to extend Crawford House within the hospital’s grounds.

The House, which was named after the charity’s president, entertainer Michael Crawford, provides home-from-home accommodation for the families of sick children while they are receiving treatment in the hospital.

Some families live at Crawford House, which currently has 16 rooms, for several months at a time, and the demand for accommodation is so great that a third storey extension is to be created with the cash raised.

Head of Fundraising at Crawford House Andy Pickering said: “Our average occupancy is something like 90% which is quite high, so this extension is very much needed. We are now hoping to appoint a committee and will hopefully host a number of events over the coming months to raise awareness of the campaign.

The extension will contain seven bedrooms and have bathroom, kitchen and living room facilities, converted from the existing space upstairs, which was once doctors’ living accommodation and still has many of its original Victorian features. The existing section of Crawford House not only provides beds, bathrooms, kitchens and areas in which to relax, but is also fully equipped with TVs, games, books, videos, play facilities and quiet areas suitable for teaching.

Shearer said: “I feel great to be here to launch this appeal because it’s hard enough for people to come into hospital, but to come in and have to go through operations or to have to be here long term – knowing this type of place is here so your family members can be close by must give some comfort.

“I know as a parent that it must mean a lot to be able to be near your children while they’re receiving treatment and be part of their hospital experience.”

As well as launching the Raise The Roof Appeal, which encourages everyone to buy one cubic foot of the new development at just £20, the BBC sports pundit signed many items of memorabilia to help raise future funds for the trust, including mugs, Sunderland and Newcastle United shirts and scrap books.

Daniel Harrison, of the Harrison Foundation, which has given £25,000 to the cause, was also at the launch. He said: “It’s great to be involved in such a great local cause.”

And house manager Gail Stonley, said the facility was like any other family home.

“On a day to day basis people just come and go.

“If a child is well enough to leave the ward, sometimes they can come and spend time with their parents and siblings, playing or making lunch together.

“But we can also be there if parents need someone to talk to or to help with any practical things, which can become more difficult to manage when people are under stress or in an unfamiliar city.

“It really is just like one happy family and we really want to make it even bigger.”

Case studies

Anna French

ANNA French is two years old and was only given a 50% chance of survival after being born with a rare condition which meant many of her internal organs were growing outside her body.

She required immediate treatment in intensive care and spent a total of six weeks in hospital.

Her mum, Jane, from Hexham, told The Journal how important Crawford House was to her during this critical time. "I can’t think of many worse things than having a five-day-old baby in intensive care and being told you have to go home now.

"So the fact that I could literally be down at the ward in just two minutes from Crawford House if I was needed was so important.

"I think the family being able to be around Anna made a real difference to her health and helped us to feel more in control. It also helped Anna to form a fantastic bond with her big sister Ella.

"She was five when Anna was born and could have easily been resentful if her mum had suddenly had to leave her for long periods of time.

"This facility meant I could be a good mum to both of them."

Mark Bulman

BONE cancer patient Mark Bulman,19, of Newton Aycliffe, has been receiving treatment at the RVI for more than six months.

His mum Sue said: "I live at Crawford House when Mark is receiving treatment and it means I can be close to him to support him through it. But also not to have to drive back and forward 40 miles a time means it is a far less tiring and stressful experience for me." Mark said: "To have someone here to support me rather than being miles away is nice.

"And when I’m able to I can come and spend time with mum here and make my own food in the kitchen, so I can stay independent."

Jenson Carter

JENSON Carter is just 15 months old, and his parents Angela and Steve, who are now family ambassadors for the charity, thank Crawford House for its help in getting their son home swiftly following his treatment.

Dad Steve said: "Jenson was born with defects in his heart and another in his food pipe, so we lived here for the first four months of his life, and it is an absolutely fabulous facility.

"We really believe we wouldn’t have got him home so quickly without the Sick Children’s Trust."

Name your price

AS well as buying a standard cube of space in the new facility for £20, for which you will receive a personalised certificate, £100 can pay for five cubic feet of the development, known as a bronze cube, and you will also be entered onto the charity’s online register of donors.

A silver cube costs £500 and pays for 25 cubic feet of the extension, and you will feature in Crawford House’s own special register of donors.

The gold standard cube buys 50 cubic feet for £1,000 and you will also receive a personal invitation to the opening of the new facility.

And for £5,000 you can buy a platinum standard 250 cubic feet, which means your name will feature on a plaque permanently displayed at Crawford House.

To make a donation or find out further information, contact the Sick Children’s Trust on (020) 7791-2266 or visit www.sickchildrenstrust.org