The magic of the movies is bringing smiles to seriously ill children – with the opening of a brand new accessible cinema at Derian House Children’s Hospice.

Now children and young people confined to wheelchairs, or even hospital beds, will be able to enjoy the full cinematic experience alongside their family and friends, without leaving the building.

The ribbon was cut to officially open the new cinema today (Thursday, 29 August), by Wigan actor Ben Batt – who appeared in Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless and Marvel blockbuster Captain America: The First Avenger.

Friends Francesca, 15 and Amelie, 14, who both come to Derian House for respite, were the first to experience it, with a screening of The Greatest Showman.

Amelie’s dad Darren said: “Having a facility like this is going to make a family trip to the cinema something we can now do. Being in busy crowded places can cause Amelie to have a meltdown so going to the cinema isn’t something she would cope with. Knowing that this is in environment where Amelie is happy will be a big benefit for us.”

The £100,000 cinema has been donated to the hospice by charity Together for Cinema, which brings cinema to children with life-limiting conditions.

Founder Ian Morrish said: “This was a hugely ambitious project that has been achieved with the help and generosity of many within the audio visual industry. We hope that the children, their families and of course the staff enjoy the new facility for many years to come.”

The state-of-the-art cinema is part of the hospice’s £1.2 million “Fit for the Future” refurbishment to ensure the building is suitable for the ever-changing needs of the children and young people who use Derian House now and in the future.

The 120-inch screen will give families a fully-immersive experience, with hotdogs, popcorn and candy floss being served to make their trip as authentic as possible.

Stephen Nevison, Director of Intuitive Homes, donated his time and expertise to lead the installation of the new cinema. His six-year-old daughter Aria even raised £1,500 to buy little extras including beanbags, a popcorn machine, a light-up sign and film posters for the room by designing and selling compact mirrors.

Stephen said: “I am so grateful to all of the manufacturers who have donated products and would like to give a special thanks to the ones who really went over and above what anyone could have expected and made my initial wish-list into a reality. It’s been an absolute pleasure working at Derian as all of the staff have been so accommodating and lovely to be around.

“I’m incredibly proud of the results we have achieved and can’t wait for the children and families to use it. This has been an amazing experience so far and more rewarding that I could have imagined and I’m looking forward to the years of supporting and working with Derian House in the future.”

David Robinson, Chief Executive at Derian House Children’s Hospice, said:  “We are absolutely blown away by the generosity of Together For Cinema and all the suppliers who have donated products to make Derian at the Movies a reality. Stephen Nevison and the team from Intuitive Homes have gone above and beyond our wildest dreams to create a beautiful cinema room that will make a huge difference to the children, young people and families who come to Derian House.

“When you have a child with a life-limiting condition, simple things such as going to the cinema as a family can often seem impossible. Juggling accessibility issues, care needs and the needs of siblings means that our families often miss out.

“At Derian House, we do our very best to ensure our families get the same opportunities as everyone else. Our families can now book in for movie nights – complete with popcorn and snacks – enjoying precious time together making memories. “

More than 200 intrepid walkers crossed Morecambe Bay to raise money for Derian House Children’s Hospice on Bank Holiday Monday.

The walkers set off from the promenade at Arnside and headed out onto the sands, led by the Queen’s new official Guide to the Sands, Michael Wilson.

The group – wearing the trademark green Derian House caps – then crossed the River Kent, through 2ft-deep water, and finally across the salt marshes, finishing at Kent’s Bank Station.

Those taking part included families who use Derian’s services, business supporters and staff, with the youngest participant little Poppy at just two-years-old.

The event also coincided with International Day of the Dog, with a number of plucky pups joining their owners to take part.

The walk, now in its 24^th year, raised £9,000 for the charity which helps more than 400 seriously ill children and young people every year.

Miriam Payne, Event and Promotions Manager at Derian House, said: “Morecambe Bay Walk is one of our favourite events, and this was the perfect way to spend the Bank Holiday. The weather was glorious and everyone was in a great mood, having fun and raising money for Derian House. We were so lucky, especially considering what the weather was like on the original date!

“I’d especially like to thank all of the Derian staff and volunteers who made it possible to pull off this event, and helped keep everyone safe.”

The Morecambe Bay Walk had originally been planned for Saturday, 10 August, but torrential rain and flash flooding meant it was called off at the last minute for safety reasons.

It costs almost £4million per year to keep the doors open at Derian House, but less than 10 per cent of this comes from government funding. For the remainder, we rely on the generosity of our supporters.

Fundraising superstars are set to be honoured in the inaugural Derian House Corporate Challenge Awards.

A glittering ceremony will see businesses from across the North West handed awards for the weird and wonderful ways in which they have raised money for the children’s charity this year.

More than 30 businesses took part in the £50 Corporate Challenge, launched in February, which saw them given £50 and set the task of turning it into as much money as possible.

They certainly lived up to their promises, with more than £30,000 being raised for the hospice which offers respite and end-of-life care for more than 400 children and young people from across the North West.

The challenge has seen chests waxed, heads shaved and mountains scaled. One company even set a Guinness World Record when friends Fiona May Beaty and Katie Simpson ran the London Marathon while dressed as a tooth and toothpaste (fastest marathon dressed as a toiletry item – female)!

The ceremony will take place on Friday, 27 September, at the Sales Geek Bunker in Altham, East Lancashire, where attendees will enjoy a barbecue, beers and games.

Abi Williamson, Corporate Partnership Manager at Derian House Children’s Hospice said: “When we launched the £50 Corporate Challenge back in February we had no idea the lengths our fabulous business supporters would go to in order to raise money for our children. We have been absolutely blown away by their creativity, humour and sheer determination and it’s been wonderful to see such a variety of different ideas.

“This is the first year of the £50 Corporate Challenge fundraising event and with more than £30,000 raised, we’re really proud to have reached such a brilliant total. We plan to repeat the challenge next year and we’d love even more businesses to get involved to support their local children’s hospice.”

Derian House offers respite and end-of-life-care for more than 400 children and young people from across the North West. It costs more than £4 million every year to run services, and yet Derian House receives less than 10 per cent of its funding from statutory sources, having to rely on the generosity of its supporters for the remaining 90 per cent.

THE SHORTLIST: Corporate Challenge Awards Finalists 2019

 Above and Beyond Award

Jets GPS: Runners Fiona and Katie pasted the London Marathon when they ran the race dressed as a tooth and toothpaste and set a new Guinness World Record. The company also got their contacts involved to host a fantastic netball tournament.

Chameleon: Held a fabulous Spring Fayre at The Laurels at Charnock including a brilliant Easter Egg hunt for children.  They also swung into action hosting a corporate golf day.

Media Village: A hair-raising way to make money was demonstrated by employee Ross Chamberlain who shaved his head and flowing beard whilst being cheered on by the rest of the staff.

Bind Studio: Held two silent art auctions with works donated by celebrated artists including Bake Off’s Noel Fielding.

KJ Fire: Not only did this family-run business take part in a bike ride from Manchester to Blackpool, scale the Lake District Three Peaks and run the Sydney 10k, they also held a midsummer party night to raise money.

LOL Award

Findel: Chest waxing gone wrong!

Media Village: Ross braves the shave (‘Chief Hugger’ Ross aka Rapunzel went for the chop)

Fulfilment Crowd: Employees got their own back and paid to chuck wet sponges at their managers – what good sports!

 Most Creative Award

Bind Studio: Two auctions of stunning artwork by celebrated artists based on the theme of memories.

Right Direction Marketing: Talented photographer Roger England took a stunning photo of a flower from the garden at Derian House. Jessops printed it and Roger sold tickets to raffle the canvas.

Iced Graphic: The firm created their very own fantasy football league from scratch.

Huntapac: Raised money and educated the public at the same time at their Open Farm Day.

Findel: A whole host of events from ‘pay a pound to park’ day at work to coffee mornings, car washes and even the fabulous duvet day raffle in the office.

 Social Media Award

Fulfilment Crowd: The team here love a Boomerang and plastered their social media with the comedy videos! They also told the world about their fundraising FIFA tournaments, raffle and a sponge-throw.

Media Village: The video of Ross braving the shave was posted across LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Findel: Excellent promotion of all their fundraising events.

Handelsbanken: Held a coffee morning with a difference including pictures of all the cakes and sweet treats to lure in the customers.

Chameleon: Smashed social media with pictures of stall holders at their Spring Fayre, excellent sponsorship of each hole at the golf day and a dedication to sharing Derian House posts.

 Endurance Award

Nybble: Scored a blinder with their 12-hour football challenge and family fun day in Blackburn.

Utiligroup: Staff went above and beyond to scale the Three Peaks.

Jets GPS: These hot shots held a netball marathon and got everyone involved.

Service Care Solutions: The gruelling Three Peaks was no challenge for these guys.

Vincents Solicitors: Challenged themselves competing in an ‘It’s a Knock Out’ tournament.

LFP Consultants: The guys racked up the miles with their step challenge that saw staff promising to undertake a mile-a-day. One dedicated employee even walked round Berlin while on their holiday.

Commitment to the Cause Award

KJ Fire: Held a fantastic midsummer party with live music and food.

Genesis IT: Spread the word about Derian’s good work at business expos, while taking donations for the cause.

Right Direction Marketing: Roger’s stunning flower picture (see above)

Bind Studio: The fantastic silent auctions (see above)

Frederick’s Ice cream: Held a fabulous ‘Meet the Players Day’ with stars from Chorley Football Club.

Thermofisher: Held a successful raffle and a host of office events.

There will also be special awards for the most entrepreneurial fundraising idea, for the highest total raised in the challenge, and special recognition awards from Derian House and sponsor Sales Geek.

The Eric Wright Charitable Trust – the charitable arm and sole owner of the Eric Wright Group – donated £25,000 to Derian House Children’s Hospice, after nominating the hospice as one if its Charities of the Year.

Two of the Trustees, Michele Collier and Alison Wright, who is also the wife of Eric Wright, founder of the Preston based property and construction company the Eric Wright Group, visited Derian to present the cheque.

Alison Wright, said: “We are thrilled to offer this cheque to such a deserving charity, which supports the needs of many local families who depend on the organisation for their respite care and excellent support networks.
“Without these facilities, families could face an uncertain future so it is essential that Derian can provide the necessary equipment and facilities to maintain a high-quality standard of care and offer ongoing support to those who need it.”

Derian House Children’s Hospice provides respite and end-of-life care to more than 400 children and young people with life-limiting and life-shortening conditions.

When families come to Derian House, they can relax and spend time together making happy memories, safe in the knowledge the medical side of their child’s care is being looked after.

The charity also offers support for parents, grandparents and siblings.

Kevin Bedford, Fundraising Manager for Derian House Children’s Hospice, said: “We’ve been working with Eric Wright Trust for many years now and we are very grateful that they have chosen us as one of their official Charities of the Year in 2019.

“£25,000 is a significant amount for the charity. It could fund a nurse’s scholarship for a year, allowing someone to gain the training they need to provide care for complex children as part of the Derian House team, and also send 13 of our families on a free week’s break to our holiday lodge at Ribby Hall. This money will make a real difference to our children and young people.”

Derian House needs more than £4million every year to provide its services, and yet less than 10 per cent of this comes from government funding. For the remaining 90 per cent, the charity relies on the generosity of supporters.

Derian House Children’s Hospice has beaten thousands of nominees to be named a finalist in the 2019 JustGiving Charity of the Year Awards.

The charity, based in Chorley, Lancashire, provides respite and end-of-life care for more than 400 children across the North West of England, as well as their familes.

When families come to Derian House, the staff take away the medical side of the care, giving them chance to spend quality time together making lasting memories.

Despite the nature of the work it does, Derian House is not a sad place; its corridors are filled with laughter, as children make the most of facilities including a hydrotherapy pool, inclusive playground where children who use wheelchairs can play with their siblings, and music therapy.

The hospice is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, and from autumn 2019 families will also be able to use a brand new cinema, huge sensory room, messy play area and state-of-the-art technology.

When a child is seriously ill it affects the whole family. Derian House provides help to parents, grandparents and siblings too, with support groups, day trips and even complementary therapy to give them a much-needed rest.  When the time comes, Derian House offers bereavement support and counselling sessions for as long as they are needed.

The charity, which celebrated its 25^th anniversary last year, needs more than £4 million every year to keep its doors open. Less than 10 per cent of this comes from government funding. For the remaining 90 per cent it relies on the generosity of its supporters.

David Robinson, Chief Executive at Derian House Children’s Hospice, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been named finalists in the JustGiving Charity of the Year Awards.

“At Derian House, it is our mission to help children and young people, whose lives are too short, to make happy memories in an environment of fun, respect and high quality care.

“I would urge everybody to vote for us. To win this award would help us tell more people about the great work we do, and enable us to make a real difference to our children and their families.”

To vote for Derian House to win JustGiving Charity of the Year Award please visit: https://awards.justgiving.com/cotyfinalists/?fbclid=IwAR2_ROUFW4Ql2qlKyflOMgNmum-MbUzqPKY2zfzC3UhYhInJTiM4h6iMSYI

Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 15^th September. To fundraise or donate to the charity please visit their JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/derianhouse

Families and businesses are being asked to put their best foot forward and take part in a walk across Morecambe Bay to raise funds for Derian House Children’s Hospice.

The Morecambe Bay Walk 2019 will be led by the Queen’s new official Guide to the Sands, Michael Wilson, and this year’s event looks set to be the biggest and best yet.

The walk takes place on Saturday, August 10^th. Setting off promptly at 1:30pm from the picturesque village of Arnside, this eight-mile walk to Kents Bank Station takes between three and four hours. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Miriam Payne, Events and Promotions Manager at Derian House, said: “This will be our 24^th year of running this iconic fundraising event and this year we have almost doubled the number of spaces available for walkers.

“The Morecambe Bay Walk is always one of the most popular events in our fundraising calendar, and I think that’s because it appeals to the whole family, with children and well-behaved dogs on leads welcome to join in.

“It’s a sponsored walk like no other; people should be prepared to get wet as we’ll be wading through water as we cross the River Kent and on soft wet sand for the majority of the route. As well as being a fab day out, walkers will also be raising money for a wonderful cause, supporting the children and young people at Derian House.”

This year’s walk has the added benefit of coinciding with the Blackpool Air Show, so walkers could be treated to front row seats when some of the world’s finest military and civilian aircraft perform fantastic feats of aerial entertainment whilst they are crossing the sands.

Derian House Children’s Hospice currently supports more than 350 families who have a child with a life threatening illness, and a further 245 who are receiving  bereavement support.

As well as end-of-life care, Derian aims to bring love and laughter to our young people and their families, giving them a chance to make precious memories together.

It costs almost £4million per year to keep the doors open at Derian House, but less than 10 per cent of this comes from government funding. For the remainder, we rely on the generosity of our supporters.

Places cost £15 per adult and £8 per child (16 and under), including a Derian House baseball cap to wear on the day as well as the booking fee that the Guide Over Sands Trust has introduced for each person this year.

All sponsorship money raised will make such a difference to the children and young people who are cared for at Derian House, and their families.

To book your place visit www.derianhouse.co.u/morecambe-bay-walk or call the Fundraising Team on 01257 271271.  Please note, walkers cannot show up on the day without having booked.

Derian on Holiday’s brand new lodge at Ribby Hall was given the official thumbs-up by the generous donors who bought it, this week.

Red Sea Pedestrians (RSP), a charitable committee of business men and women from Manchester, raised more than £250,000 to buy the lodge, at their glittering Spring Ball in April.

Highlights of the event, held at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester, included the “stand for a grand” section of the auction in which donors stood up to pledge an amazing total of £61,000 for “Tallulah”, a 6ft elephant sculpture decorated by the children at Derian House.

Antony and Nadine Wagman, from RSP, visited Ribby Hall on Monday to see the lodge, and meet four-year-old William Ballantyne and his family, who were staying there for a free week’s holiday.

Mum Becky Ballantyne, of Lostock Hall, said: “The Derian on Holiday lodge is fab because it caters for all of William’s needs – the wheelchair can get round the corridors and it has everything we need. Ribby Hall itself is great as it is all fully-accessible.

“This week will be all about spending good quality time together as a family and creating memories.”

The fully-adapted lodge is the second plot on the holiday village owned by Derian House, and means that now almost 1,000 people a year can now benefit from a free week’s stay.

Families can relax and spend time together making precious memories.

Antony Wagman, of Red Sea Pedestrians, said: “We were blown away when we saw the lodge. It’s phenomenal and we’re just so delighted and proud that we’ve been able to raise money for this.

“We’ve raised money for Derian House for some years now and we will continue to do so as far as we can, it’s a wonderful cause.”

Red Sea Pedestrians is made up of a team of 10 hard-working volunteers 11 years ago. It has since raised a total of £2.5million for more than 22 charitable causes, with over £1million being donated directly to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. They have since been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Contribution to Voluntary Services. The charity was set up to address the specific needs of North West Children’s Charities. For more information please see: www.redseapedestrians.org

WATCH:

Business leaders from across the North West have busted their way out of jail, raising more than £35,000 for a children’s hospice.

They were joined by celebrity cellmates burlesque queen Kiki DeVille and Extreme Cake Makers’ Rosie Dummer at Bail Me Out – Derian House Children’s Hospice’s most outrageous money-raising challenge of the year.

The 16 inmates were “arrested” on Friday morning at Leyland Police Station, before being thrown behind bars at La Corte Italian restaurant in Leyland, the former police station.

Locked in the Victorian cells, their only hope of release was to raise £999 bail money – with only their phones and laptops to help them out.

The dastardly crimes committed included impersonating Bradley Walsh, uncontrollable snacking, and excessive fabulousness.

Derian House Patron and cabaret queen Kiki DeVille, who took part in the event, said: “I’m a parent of Derian House and I know exactly what it is that Derian does for families. Not just children who are with us, but for bereaved families too. It’s incredibly important that we spread the word, get people knowing what Derian does, how it’s an amazingly life-affirming place and that it needs £4million a year to function. What we do at Derian is incredibly important.”

Her fellow cellmate John Hesketh, Regional Director of NatWest Premier Banking North Region, said: “Bail me Out was brilliant. The people I was in with were a really good bunch and very passionate about the work of Derian House. I’m a family man and have four kids, who have always been fit and healthy. Sometimes you take the basics for granted, so for me it was about being grateful for what I’ve got and giving something back.”

The resourceful “criminals” not only raised their bail money but smashed the challenge raising a total of £35,138.46 so far, with donations still coming in.

Miriam Payne, Events and Promotions Manager at Derian House Children’s Hospice, said: “Bail Me Out has been a fantastic success, far beyond our wildest dreams. We like to put the fun in fundraising at Derian House, and that’s what this event was all about – as well as raising much needed funds. We are so grateful to everyone who took part – from the wonderful participants who really embraced the theme, to Chorley and Leyland police, Lancashire Police Cadets, Judge Batman and the team at La Corte who looked after us so well. Everybody should be very proud of what they have achieved.

“The money our ‘prisoners’ raised will make a huge difference to the children, young people and families who are cared for by Derian House. £35,000 will pay for the running costs of Derian House Children’s Hospice for two whole days, as well as giving ten families a week’s holiday at our ‘Derian on Holiday’ lodges; three children the chance to go on a residential activity holiday; and pay to sponsor a Derian nurse for 10 days. Not bad for a day’s work!”

Derian House Children’s Hospice cares for more than 400 children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses from across the North West.

It costs more than £4million to run services each year, and yet the charity receives less than 10 per cent of this from the NHS. For the remainder, it relies on the generosity of supporters.

BAIL ME OUT CRIMINALS

• Rosie Dummer from Extreme Cake Makers, of Clitheroe arrested for “baking under the influence”
• Burlesque cabaret queen (and Derian House Patron) Kiki DeVille, of Earby, arrested for “excessive fabulousness”
• Andy Clarke, from The Sports Office, Wigan, (and Derian House ambassador) arrested for “persecuting the staff”
• Lee Morgan, of Thermatic, Salford, arrested for “drunk and disorderly”
• Kristen Durose, of Red Star Wealth, Blackpool, for “crimes of passion”
• Daniel Maddox, of Evolve Document Solutions, Leyland, for “murder on the dancefloor”
• Jane Campbell and Evie Skentelbery, of Fresh Perspective Resourcing, Chorley, for “indecent exposure at a networking event”
• Graham Ritchie, of Kluio Ltd, Preston, for “crimes against fashion”
• Lachlan McLean, of Forbes Solicitors, Chorley for “excessive dithering (contrary to Section 5 of the Dilatory Husbands Act 1982)
• Katie Shepherd, of Fulfilment Crowd, Chorley, for “uncontrollable snacking”
• Chris Mahady, of Findel Education, Hyde, Cheshire, for “driving in bus lanes”
• Mark Whittaker, of Findel Education, Hyde, Cheshire, for “”impersonating Bradley Walsh”
• John Hesketh, Regional Manager of NatWest Premier Banking, for “shampoo acquisition from hotels”
• Sharon Benson, of Studio, Clayton-le-Moors, for “continued parking offences”
• Ian McWhirter, of Studio, Clayton-le-Moors, for “bad line plans”

Derian House Children’s Hospice has vowed to open its doors to help families affected by the planned closure of a children’s hospice in Bury, announced yesterday.

Forget Me Not at Grace’s Place is currently caring for 17 families from across the Greater Manchester area. But if plans go ahead, will close its doors in August.

The charity blamed insufficient funding from the NHS which has left it in an “unsustainable position”.

Earlier this year, both Zoe’s Place in Liverpool and Shooting Stars Children’s Hospices in the south-east announced cuts to services, and last month Acorns in Walsall announced it is set to close this autumn due to the rising cost of delivering care.

David Robinson, Chief Executive of Derian House Children’s Hospice, said: “We were saddened to hear about the planned closure of Forget Me Not at Grace’s Place children’s hospice facility in Bury.

“The news of any of our fellow children’s hospices falling into financial difficulties is always unsettling and we send our support to the families, management, staff, volunteers and trustees at Grace’s Place.

“We would like to reassure families affected by this closure, who find themselves in a position of need, that we will do all we can to accommodate them. We have a robust referrals process and will fast-track any referrals from these families.

“Derian House has been open for 26 years, and through good financial planning and the generous support of our community, we are in a strong position to maintain services long into the future, so we want to reassure the families we support that they need not worry.

“However, we are in a similar position to all children’s hospices in that the funding from NHS England and the 18 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in our area, is woefully inadequate and in some cases we receive no funding at all. It costs us more than £4million every year to look after more than 400 children and young people with life-limiting conditions and just 7.8 per cent of this comes from these statutory sources.

“As leaders in children’s palliative care, our hospice has to maintain the same high standards as a NHS hospital, and we must adhere to the same rigorous regulations. It is, therefore, scandalous that more than 90 per cent of our funding comes from bucket collections and bake sales. How can this be right?

“The government and local authorities are good at making promises, holding meetings and producing aspirational documents about the future of children’s hospices, but these ideas need to be put into action. The time to talk is over.

“The government needs to take positive and immediate action to secure proper funding for all children’s hospices in the UK. If not, the shutting down of Acorns in Walsall, Grace’s Place in Bury and recent news about reducing services from Zoe’s Place and Shooting Stars could just be the beginning.

“The latest news about the NHS England pledge of £25million for children’s hospices by 2023/24 is promising, however this does not solve the immediate issue.”

Could you be a winner on the Derian House Lottery?

Coming soon is our very own lottery, set to giveaway up to £25,000 every week.

For just £1 a week, each player is allocated a six-digit lottery number. Every Friday the lucky winners will be selected at random and prize cheques issues and posted directly out, so there’s no way players can miss out on their prize.

The regular donation made by our lottery players will help us to continue to care for more than 400 children and young people from across the North West every year. Every penny raised will help us to care for children and their families into the future, whilst also giving you chance to win a cash prize.

Players must be over 16 to enter. Stay tuned for more details on how to play the Derian House Lottery.