Dorset County Hospital raise funds for children’s library

Dorset County Hospital raise funds for children’s library

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  • Post category:BBC Dorset


Galya DimitrovaSouth of England

Galya Dimitrova and Patrick HughesBBC News, South of England, Dorchester

BBC A photo of four people standing in a row looking at the camera. BBC

Staff and volunteers from different organisations came together to raise funds and awareness about the library

A hospital has launched a fundraising initiative to provide books to children and young people during their hospital stay.

Kate Parish, youth worker at Dorset Youth who is due to start working at the hospital soon, said she believed the dedicated children’s library within the hospital would be the first of its kind in England.

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) said they also plan on uploading recordings of clinicians reading children’s stories to help reduce anxiety for young first-time visitors.

DCH also said all proceeds would go directly towards buying “exciting books for young readers and keeping the library filled with the latest titles”.

Kate Parish, with short white hair and glasses and wearing a black t-shirt, looking at the camera. A banner showing a tree with books as fruit is blurry but visible in the background.

Kate Parish from Dorset Youth said she hopes the initiative will help children reduce their screen time and encourage a love of reading

The initiative is a collaboration between the DCH Library and Transition to Adult Services teams, Dorset Youth, and Winstone’s Independent Bookshops.

Volunteers from “Operation Jackanory” set up shop in the hospital’s restaurant on Thursday to ask staff, patients and members of the public to donate the cost of a book.

“We noticed that a lot of young people who are coming into hospital are using screens a lot of the time,” said Kate from Dorset Youth.

“On the wards, a lot of televisions are actually being removed, so it’s about trying to provide young people with an opportunity to enjoy reading.”

Kate said that children will be able to request a book from the library, which will then be brought to their ward.

“Hopefully, by encouraging young people to read for pleasure, we’ll be able to help them develop that life skill,” she said.

The hospital also plans on recording some of their clinicians who work with children reading children’s stories.

Those recordings will be made accessible on the hospital’s Youtube channel, allowing children to “meet” their care providers for the first time in a relaxed setting.

Dr Ruth Newman stands on the right of the frame, looking out to the left of the frame. She had medium-length brown hair and wears and pink top and a blue NHS Lanyard. A banner showing books in a tree is hung up behind her.

Paediatrician at Dorset County Hospital, Dr Ruth Newman, said she decided to get involved after seeing an email about the project

Consultant paediatrician Dr Ruth Newman, who works in the hospital’s children’s ward, said she was “really keen” to get involved in the project.

“I think it’s really important that we empower young people to get off their screens and delve into reading,” said Dr Newman.

“And also encourage their families, their parents and their carers to read with them, and do that in their spare time.”

The hospital’s library manager said that the dedicated children’s library is expected to open sometime in the New Year.



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