Children staying in hospital in Swindon are set to receive a welcome boost thanks to a thoughtful donation from local charity Dressability.
The charity has presented a collection of handmade Play Packs to the Children’s Ward at Great Western Hospital, with each pack designed to provide comfort, entertainment and distraction for young patients during their stay.
Created by Dressability’s volunteer team, the packs contain a range of colourful games, activities and toys aimed at helping children pass the time and reduce anxiety while receiving treatment.
Each Play Pack includes a handmade fabric bag containing simple games such as noughts and crosses and matching pairs, alongside volunteer-made colouring kits complete with pencils and postcards.
The packs also feature a selection of brand-new toys, including fidget spinners, sensory pop-it toys, puzzle blocks, bubble wands and Play-Doh. These items were funded through the generosity of a supporter of the charity.
Volunteers spent many hours designing, sewing and assembling the packs, with every element carefully chosen to create a positive experience for children facing what can often be an unfamiliar and worrying time.
The donation has been welcomed by Brighter Futures, the charity supporting patients and services across Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Catherine Weaver, Associate Director of Charitable Funds for Brighter Futures, said the packs would have a meaningful impact on young patients and their families.
She said: “We are incredibly grateful to Dressability and their wonderful volunteers for this generous and thoughtful donation.
“These Play Packs will make a real difference to children staying on the ward, helping to keep them occupied, reduce anxiety and bring moments of joy during their time in hospital.
“The care and creativity that has gone into every pack is truly special.”
The donation has been timed to coincide with Volunteers’ Week, which celebrates the contribution made by volunteers across communities and organisations throughout the country.
For Dressability, the project highlights the skills and dedication of its volunteer team, who have used their creativity to support children during difficult circumstances.
Tia Shortall, Service Delivery Manager at Dressability, said volunteers were proud to see their work benefiting local families.
She said: “Our volunteers have put so much care, time and creativity into making these Play Packs, and we are delighted to be able to support children on the ward in this way.
“We’re also really excited about working together on future projects, including patient dignity clothing, where our volunteers can continue to make a meaningful difference to patient experience.”
The Play Packs also represent the start of a growing partnership between Dressability and Brighter Futures.
The two organisations are exploring additional projects, including the development of specialist patient dignity clothing designed to improve comfort and dignity for people receiving hospital care.
Brighter Futures funds equipment, projects and initiatives that enhance patient care beyond what NHS budgets alone can provide, supporting thousands of patients and families across Swindon and the wider area each year.
While the Play Packs may seem like a simple gesture, anyone who has spent time in hospital as a child will know how much difference a game, colouring activity or small toy can make. Thanks to the efforts of local volunteers, those small moments of comfort and distraction will now be available to young patients when they need them most.
