CHILDRENS’ ART FOR HERRIOT HOSPICE

             A COMMUNITY PROJECT LAUNCHED BY THE ARTS SOCIETY HAMBLETON

For many years the family of James Herriot, the famous Yorkshire vet,  have supported a charity provided end of life care in the home – Herriot Hospice Homecare.  Recently the Charity acquired the Lambert, one -time Cottage hospital in the centre of Thirsk  the market town where James Herriot practiced.

Arts Society Hambleton is leading a project which will engage children in their final Year at five Primary schools in and around Thirsk.  We will provide Art for the public spaces at The Herriot Hospice at the Lambert which is opening its beds later this year. This inspiring initiative is being led by our Society’s secretary, Liz Foster.  Liz is bringing together her love of the arts, her career in primary education and her work over the last 12 years with those facing terminal illness. 

This project, our first major one since Covid, involves 114,  year six school pupils from five local primary schools.   Work has already begun on creating “Uplifting and cheerful” animal pieces  of art supporting the theme of “Nature in the locality”. The Children whose artwork most matches the brief will be invited to create the final poster sized works.  Some of the individual pieces will be framed and hung on the walls in the public spaces.  However, all art works will be displayed digitally in the Hospice.

We applied to HQ for a grant and were awarded £1500 to help towards the cost of the project, which is mainly to provide the materials required and the framing of the selected works.  Also, we are delighted that nine volunteers from our Society, with a background in art and/or art-education, are working in the schools, supporting the children under the direction of the teachers.

As well as enhancing the public areas in the Hospice, the Hospice staff are thrilled that this them an opportunity to build relationships with local schools: in particular, with Just “B”, the bereavement service offered by the Charity to adults and children. The schools involved are Alanbrooke Academy, Carlton Miniott Primary Academy, Knayton C of E Academy, Sowerby Academy and Topcliffe C of E Academy.

We plan to offer an opportunity for adults and children to view the artwork prior to it being displayed in the Hospice in September. Also, we are  looking forward to working with Thirsk School and Sixth Form College in the Autumn Term on a photography project for the Hospice again supported Society members.

Into the future, there is scope for further collaborative projects for the Hospice, for example printed cards to raise funds, visits from school choirs and the development of on-going relationships between the Hospice, in particular Just “B” the bereavement service), with local schools.

At our June lecture, project leader Liz Foster announced that the project was underway and described progress.  This was followed by an inspiring talk by Rosie Page, James Herriot’s daughter and one of three Hospice Ambassadors. She described the history and purpose of the Hospice.  Then, she moved on to emphasise the importance of the provision of local beds for those requiring 24-hour nursing care and the additional services for anyone  affected by a terminal illness.

• Rosie said… “Herriot Hospice at the Lambert is the culmination of over 25 years of hard work, heartache and financial ups and downs. The JUST B Bereavement Service and the Community Hub are already in use, as are the offices upstairs which are the home of our wonderful palliative care nurses. These dedicated people are already well known for delivering exceptional care for the terminally ill in their own homes, throughout Hambleton and Richmondshire. There are also 6 hospice inpatient beds, which will be opening later this year.
  Unlike the original Lambert Hospital, which was entirely funded by the NHS, the Hospice will depend to a great extent on the generosity  of the good folk of Thirsk and the wider community of Hambleton and Richmondshire to maintain  this fantastic facility in perpetuity.
  This exciting new project will hopefully raise general public awareness, and allow some young local families to develop a personal connection to the Hospice. It will also be fun for all, as all good fundraising events should be. Indeed, some of these young people may develop into the “ movers and shakers” that we most definitely need in the future.
  I wholeheartedly endorse the project, and I applaud those working tirelessly to bring it to fruition. “
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• Tony Collins, Chief Executive of Herriot Hospice Homecare: “We are delighted to be collaborating with The Arts Society Hambleton and local primary schools in Thirsk to bring this brilliant arts project to life for Herriot Hospice at the Lambert. We are excited to have the art displayed on the walls of our community hub and to furthering our relationship with local communities. Meanwhile, we look forward to the opening of our six bed Inpatient Unit as soon as we have the required approval from the Care Quality Commission.”
• Steve Crocker, headteacher at Carlton Miniott Primary Academy  says …  “This is a fantastic project for our children. They are loving doing the artwork and working with the experts from the Art Society. It is lovely for the children to do something practical to support such a valuable new resource in Thirsk.
   
• Michelle Wallace, Chair Arts Society Hambleton says …. “What I love about this project is that it is so worthwhile! We have been so lucky in getting the support of the fabulous teaching staff, hospice managers and our members to get this project underway. The initial work by the children is inspiring!  We will be posting regular bulletins on the progress of this wonderful project”