Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice yesterday unveiled their brand-new, bespoke Bereavement Counselling Suite, known as ‘The Cabin’, built in the grounds of The Ark in Barnet which has been funded by a £40k grant from Morrisons ‘Building a Legacy Together’. The grant is funded through Morrisons partnership with Together for Short Lives. Morrisons and Together for Short Lives partnership started in February 2022 and is raising vital funds for children’s hospices across the country and helping families make precious memories together. Together, they launched the Building a Legacy Together Grant last summer. The grant aims to help children’s hospices across the country pay for things like renovations, new outdoor spaces and therapy equipment to ensure families caring for a child with a life-limiting condition can be supported in a comforting, joyful environment.

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice can support families whose child has died for three years and three months after their death. A child and their family may have used our services for some time or may have come to us at the end of the child’s life. In some cases, families may have come to us for the first time after the child has died, to use our Butterfly Bereavement Suite and be supported by our multi-disciplinary team. Following the death of a child many families wish to re-visit The Ark, where they feel close to the memory of their child. However, for some, returning to the building itself can be incredibly painful, almost impossible – with even the familiar smells and sounds proving to be overwhelming. And so, the idea for an external, separate, space was born. The Cabin is located close to our adjoining nature reserve, providing a calm, reflective space for families to have therapy sessions with the specialist bereavement team.

The idea for a new, purpose-built space came directly from the families that we support. In particular from Andrea and Costel, whose daughter Nadia rested in The Ark’s Butterfly Bereavement Suite after she died in hospital in February 2022.

Costel said: “We had a hard time coming into the building where we used to visit our daughter after she died. Every time we came in, I tried not to look that way, in the hope that on that occasion I would not remember vividly that sweet smell that used to be in the room where she rested. I can’t speak for anybody else, however, I know we found it very hard to return to the building, and on occasions this led us not to come.”

Sophie Andrews OBE, CEO of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice says: “We are incredibly grateful to the Morrisons ‘Building a Legacy Together’ Grant in partnership with Together For Short Lives for making this dream a reality. We are incredibly lucky to be in a position where we can call on the support of this grant to deliver a truly holistic service to our children and families.”

Carys Williams, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice Bereavement Support Coordinator, said: “A separate, external counselling space is a wonderful addition to the bereavement service. Re-entering the Ark after the death of a child can be too distressing for grieving parents, so having this external, dedicated space is hugely valuable.”

Together for Short Lives Director of Fundraising, Nick Carroll says: “We are proud to see the fruits of our partnership with Morrisons come to life in such a meaningful way. The Cabin at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice was made possible by the Building a Legacy Grant, with thanks to Morrisons partnership fundraising. The grant, which was launched last summer, has already had a huge impact on a number of hospices across the country just like Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. We know that The Cabin will make a huge difference for the families supported by Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.”

Morrisons Corporate Affairs Director, David Scott says: “As part of Morrisons’ commitment to giving back to our communities, we are proud to be funding The Cabin at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice through our partnership with Together for Short Lives. This is what the Building a Legacy Together Grant is all about. We are confident that The Cabin will make a difference to the families Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice support.”