Making Waves for Children in ED 🐉🚣‍♀️

In May, our team 'Making Waves', will be trading our usual day jobs and picking up paddles to take part in the legendary Himley Dragon Boat Race, raising much-needed funds for the Dudley Group NHS Trust Charity.

Our team is made up of a brilliant mix of people — some connected to the NHS and others who simply want to support a great local cause — but we’re all united by one goal: helping improve the experience of children who attend our Emergency Department.

The funds we raise will go towards purchasing sensory equipment for the Children’s Emergency Department. For many families, visiting ED can already be a stressful and uncertain experience. For children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), the sights, sounds and unfamiliar environment of an emergency department can make that experience even more overwhelming.

Our aim is to help change that.

With your support, we hope to provide sensory toys, calming lighting and specialist equipment that will allow children with additional needs to feel safer, calmer and more supported while they wait to be seen or receive treatment. These resources will also help parents and carers better support their child during what can be a very difficult time.

At the moment, our department has a few items available for children in the main waiting area. However, for those who need a quieter, more controlled environment to meet their sensory needs, we sadly don’t yet have the equipment to offer this.

We’ve heard first-hand from families and colleagues how valuable this kind of support would be. By taking part in the Dragon Boat Race, we hope to raise the funds needed to create a more inclusive and supportive experience for our young patients and their families when they need us most.

So while we’ll be doing our best to stay in sync, paddle hard and (hopefully!) stay afloat during the race, every donation you make will help us provide equipment that can make a real difference.

If you’re able to donate — whether it’s £2, £5 or more — you’ll be helping us make a real difference for families when they need support the most.

Thank you so much for helping us make waves for children in ED. 🌊