I was proud and honoured to be asked to help at a charity concert last weekend by my good friend Rev’d David Southall, who organised a “Voices For Health” concert to raise funds for the Meadow Birth Centre and the Fay Turner Suite at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital. An amazing £650.00 was raised at the event, and I attended the cheque presentation this morning at the hospital with David.
At a time when cuts to the NHS are still running deep, donations like this are SO vital – I don’t know what I would have done without the Fay Turner Suite when I lost my Frankie, as it meant I could spend time with him and say goodbye to him properly. It was the perfect environment where myself, my husband and my parents could spend time with Frankie and say goodbye to him in a private setting away from the main delivery suite, and begin the grieving process for our much loved and much wanted son. This space is so important for grieving parents and I was so grateful for all the support and care we received by the midwifery team and from Rev’d David Southall during the worst time of our lives.
The concert was lovely, and the choir sang songs ranging from Bring Him Home from Les Miserables to Elton John’s Circle Of Life, and the funds raised at the concert will be divided between the Meadow Birth Centre and the Fay Turner Suite. The former is a midwifery led unit which is designed to give mums-to-be the choice of a non-medical “home from home” delivery; whilst the Fay Turner Suite is a stand-alone room for parents who have experienced the tragedy of a stillbirth or the loss of their baby post-birth and is a “hotel style” room which gives parents much needed private space, in hospital, where they can begin to grieve the loss of their baby.
Rev. David Southall, Hospital Chaplain at Worcestershire Royal Hospital said: “The concert was the first event which Voices 4 Health organised and performed in its entirety. We had such a good time and so much great feedback from the evening. It was so good to be able to give something back to the NHS locally, and these two places are close to my heart. My granddaughter Emilia was born in the Meadow Birth Centre, and as Chaplain I am often called to the Bereavement Suite to support parents in the worst of times.”
Trudy Berlett, who is the Bereavement Midwife for the Trust spoke movingly about the Fay Turner Suite: “The money raised at this event will help us to continue to provide a good environment where parents can make special memories about the babies they have lost which can help them in the future.”
Louise Turbutt, Team Leader of the Meadow Birth Centre said: “We are low risk midwifery led unit which offers holistic care for women and their families. The donations raised will help us provide a range of things which make the centre homely including duvets, aromatherapy oils and diffusers. We are also hoping to be able to purchase a breast feeding chair so the money given will be a great help to us.”
The “Voices For Health Choir” rehearses on Thursday evenings from 7.00pm at the Charles Hastings Education Centre at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, and anyone is welcome to join. For more information, please contact Rev’d David Southall via revdavidsouthall@aol.com.
You never know…I might just be tempted to finally join the choir myself….watch this space!
