Support beyond Edinburgh
Our charity doesn’t just provide support to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
We strive to support children wherever they are treated, and our remit extends to hospitals and healthcare settings throughout the Lothians, Borders and Fife.
St John's Children's Fund
Held by ECHC, St John’s Children’s Fund supports babies, children and young people cared for by St John’s Hospital in Livingston and healthcare settings across West Lothian. The fund is raising money for the children’s ward, maternity services and Special Care Baby Unit at St John’s, as well as other children’s services including Sunndach.
To date, ECHC has invested over £225,000 in St John’s Hospital, creating a new outdoor garden space for the Mother and Baby Unit, revamping the children’s ward playroom and funding extra medical equipment and comforts.
St John’s Children’s Fund is currently fundraising to improve the maternity spaces used by families in the weeks, days and hours before and after birth. There are lots of ways to get involved! Click below to find out more.
Queen Margaret Hospital
We support the Children’s Unit at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline by providing games, toys and arts materials on a regular basis. We have also revamped the corridors, waiting areas and clinical rooms to make these spaces more welcoming and child-friendly and less daunting for those visiting.
We continue to work closely with the hospital’s Play Team to bring arts and activities like music making and drama performances to children and young people using the Unit and to support those who come to Cystic Fibrosis clinics.
If you are interested in working with us or making a donation to support our work at Queen Margaret Hospital, please get in touch.
Sunndach and Calareidh Respite Services
Many of the children cared for at Sunndach (Livingston) and Calareidh respite centres have little or no physical movement or the ability to speak, so communication and sensory stimulation through music and colour is a significant enhancement to their lives.
We support the wonderful teams by delivering weekly music making and storytelling workshops to give children a way to express themselves where verbal communication is not possible and an opportunity to engage with creative play.
Most recently, we funded two mobile Wi-Fi devices so children can interact on Facetime and Zoom sessions, stream movies and music and access a wealth of online activities.
We know from the demeanour of the children, their body postures and often the reduced levels of distress, that accessing online activities brings a great sense of comfort. We are very grateful to ECHC for helping to fund the mobile Wi-Fi devices necessary for us to continue to do this.
Senior Charge Nurse Jennifer Pyper