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The Ministry of Cake
Mother's Union members offering tea and homemade cake to parents and staff at Bluefin Ward (Children's Ward) and Beeding Ward (The Special Baby Unit).
19 May 2019
We work on Bluefin Ward (Children’s Ward) and Beeding Ward (The Special Baby Unit) on a Monday, offering tea and homemade cake to parents and staff. Often parents and staff want just to talk, and we are able to give them the time – we listen. We provide the ‘ordinary’ when what is happening in their family life is far from that. Children admitted to Bluefin Ward may be there just for the day or sometimes for months. Their treatment will be for any serious and often life-threatening condition, and in some cases terminal before they are transferred to the Chestnut Tree Children’s Hospice.
The Ministry of Cake is a very gentle way of helping families, taking the ordinary and making Mondays special. As one mum said: “I look forward to Monday now because I know the cake ladies are coming. Although they are strangers, they care enough about me and my child to come every week and make me smile”
MEMORY BAGS: Beeding Ward is the special baby unit at Worthing Hospital for premature babies (including twins and triplets). Sadly, some do not survive. Our project supplies handmade Memory Bags for parents of babies on the ward. Some bags contain tiny baby vests, breast pads, nappies and bags of tissues, and are given to every mum. This provides both practical help during their stay in hospital and also for keep-sake memories – either as proof of a baby’s progression as they get stronger - baby’s name bands, baby’s oxygen breathing tubes etc..... or in some cases evidence of a much-loved baby who did not go home. We provide approximately 15 bags a month.
These three projects are supported by our members on a rota basis, working closely with the staff and management on these wards at the hospital. All volunteers have enhanced DBS and Level 2 Food and Hygiene certificates and have undergone hospital induction training. The service we provide would just not happen if we were not there and the feedback from parents and staff has been hugely positive.
We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
Written by Karen Hill
Branch Leader West Tarring
Sourced from the Chichester link