Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, Royal Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) has attended the charity’s celebration of its new Norfolk hospice, The Nook.
The royal visit comes just over a month since the new site welcomed the first child through its doors to receive care.
The Duchess toured the facilities, which include a hydrotherapy pool and state-of-the-art sensory room, meeting children and their families along the way.
She also made a short speech to some 300 invited guests before being joined by some of the children to unveil a plaque and formally open the purpose-built hospice.
The Duchess became EACH Royal Patron in January 2012, officially opening its hospice in Ipswich, The Treehouse, shortly after. She attended the launch of EACH’s fundraising appeal at the Norfolk Showground in November 2014, and visited the hospice in January 2017 to receive an update on the appeal and hear more about plans for the new building.
Tracy Rennie, EACH Acting Chief Executive, said: “It’s always a pleasure when Her Royal Highness visits, but today felt like a particularly momentous celebration given how long in the making this building has been and the Duchess’s previous support for the fundraising appeal.
“The Nook has been a superb achievement by everyone here as well as all our volunteers and supporters across Norfolk, and even further afield, and this was reflected in the kind words shared by the Duchess with invited guests.
“We’re now in no doubt that the way we deliver care in future will take great steps forward and give us an opportunity to try out doing things differently, and it’s obviously amazing knowing we have the backing of the Duchess.”
EACH Norfolk had been based at the site of a Carmelite Monastery for 25 years, until it outgrew the premises. The Nook is a 21st century building spread across a single floor, with more areas for clinical care, larger and better equipped en-suite bedrooms and dedicated therapy rooms. It is set on a five-acre woodland site, closer to the centre of the county, hospitals and road networks, means the majority of families and staff will travel shorter distances to receive and deliver care.
The Nook opening event was sponsored by interior design company Kelling Designs. Emma Deterding, founder and director, and also an EACH Patron, said: “We’ve supported EACH for many years and are thrilled to be sponsoring the official opening of The Nook. It’s incredible to see The Nook become a reality. It will truly transform the care EACH is able to give to children and families in Norfolk, and we’re delighted to support the appeal.”
For more information visit EACH
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