Inside Forget Me Not - the Yorkshire children's hospice changing lives for families

The hospice is not only a place for families to come together at the most difficult of times, but a place of joy, providing therapies, days out and respite for children, their parents and their siblings.

Staff at the hospice say it is full of “light, love and laughter,” and now they are inviting members of the public to see for themselves the work they do at the hospice’s first open day since before the pandemic.

The open day, tomorrow from 10am until 2pm, is open to all.

Kirsty Goddard, registered manager at Forget Me Not, said: “Many people are surprised at what they find when they visit Russell House.

“It’s nothing like you might imagine a children’s hospice to be. That’s one of the reasons we wanted to open our doors – so that people can see for themselves what it’s really like – and how it’s developed over the 10 plus years since it was built."

"This is also a great opportunity to show the local community the difference their support makes to families facing or living with the loss of their child across West Yorkshire.

“Because we wouldn’t be here at all providing vital care and these amazing facilities if it wasn’t for local people, groups, schools and businesses getting involved to fundraise, volunteer and support us."

As well as guided tours of the purpose-built facility, visitors will be able to see first-hand how Forget Me Not helps families with memory making, see what goes into a memory box and be able to take part in hand printing activity.

Georgia Lane, regional fundraising manager, said: “The word ‘hospice’ is quite a scary one.

"But actually, children’s hospices are really bright and happy places. Of course, there are sad things that happen. But it’s full of children laughing, playing, and making memories.

"It’s not a clinical environment. It’s a home."

Hospice staff hope the open day might encourage members of the public to consider supporting Forget Me Not through fundraising during the cost of living crisis.

Ms Lane said: “It costs us about £4.5m to run the hospice every year, and 94 per cent of that, we raise ourselves.

"We expect that with the cost-of-living crisis, it’s going to cost us £5.5m just to do what we do now. And we want to do more, we want to expand.

"Like many charities, the cost of living crisis at the moment is is having a big impact on us.

"I have the best job in the world. The thing is – we know the work we do matters. The minute you walk in the doors and see the children, it just warms your heart.”