Young burns survivors enjoy Rotary grand day out
Young burns survivors enjoy Rotary grand day out
Local children recovering from serious burn injuries were treated to a special day out thanks to the efforts of local Rotarians.
Stourport and Bewdley Rotary Clubs collaborated with the West Midlands charity Burnaid to host 35 children earlier this month during a fun-packed day out at Stourport on Severn.
Children aged from six months to 16 from across the Midlands, enjoyed a trip to Playland Funpark in Stourport before taking a river cruise along The River Severn courtesy of The River King and were entertained by magician and balloon modeler Russ Stokes.
Following lunch at The Port House, the children had plenty of time to enjoy the rides at Treasure Island Funfair before heading back to Playland for a final fling and plenty of ice cream.
Burnaid was founded in 1988 by nurses at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and aims to support Burn Survivors and their families at the only two burns centres for the West Midlands region - Birmingham’s Children's Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Rotarian Syd Handy, who has been organising the day trip for 15 years, said: “After seeing the first presentation at one of our Rotary meetings it really touched my heart strings and although they wanted funds I said ‘Bring a coach load of children to Stourport and I will give them a day they will never forget!’
“It has always been a great pleasure to organise and host the children and families from the Burns unit of the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. They come as strangers but go home at the end of the day as one big happy family and having made many friends.
“The day out helps these traumatised children with their social reintegration, self-esteem and confidence but most of all they, their siblings and parents have a lot of fun.”
“Of course these sort of events never happen without a lot of goodwill from many people. Thanks go to Playland, Riverside Cruises, Treasure Island, The Port House, as well as the Rotarians from Bewdley Rotary and Stourport Rotary, who enabled the young burn survivors and their families to have a day to remember.”
