We are raising money for The Breathing Spaces project at Great Ormond Street which provides much needed parent and carer rooms.

This project was inspired by the experience of Lisa Spinks, one of our team, whose son Rory spent a large part of his short life in hospital. Over the past six years, helped by funding from The True Colours Trust, the project has developed or refurbished rooms in over 20 UK hospitals. Independent fundraising has already delivered three rooms at GOSH, the place where Rory spent much of his time and where the idea of Breathing Spaces originated. The original plan however was to deliver four, based on an assessment of need with the hospital. So, we are going again with ten brave, bold and bloody minded ladies who are taking on the Three Peaks Challenge; climbing Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scarfell Pike in 24 hours to make this fourth very needed room happen!

The rooms are designed to be non-clinical and comfortable, providing parents with a dedicated space away from their child’s bedside where they can have a cup of coffee (in a real mug), phone friends or family, or simply have a little breathing space. Unfortunately, sitting rooms/kitchens for parents or carers in hospitals are often given very little thought in a world of very tight funds, but parents play a vital role in a child's care team, so this needs to be seriously re-evaluated. If we look after the parents, then they are better fuelled physically and emotionally to look after their child so everyone benefits.

The Three Peaks Challenge is the latest in a series that the Spinks family and their wonderful friends have taken on to raise money in Rory’s memory. The Breathing Spaces project is a high impact and much needed means of making families' experiences in hospital more bearable to help parents develop friendships, share their experiences and talk in a relaxed environment, giving them the space they deserve. Every penny raised will be spent renovating and delivering a difference to parents going through the toughest of times - all the rooms are on wards where children and their parents are staying for weeks or months, possibly over a year. Attached are some photos of the existing rooms...

We would be so grateful if you could help make this happen.

Love Carolyn, Helen, Jana, Jenna, Katie, Lara-Kate, Laura, Verity, Jen and Lisa xxxxxxxxxx