We have donated £1,000 to Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity towards the purchase of two mobile sensory trolleys for paediatric services at the Trust’s hospital sites.

The trolleys will contain sensory and distraction resources designed to help children and young people feel calmer and more comfortable during hospital visits. For many young patients, an unfamiliar clinical environment, waiting for an appointment or undergoing a procedure can be worrying. This can be especially challenging for children with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, sensory-processing differences or other special educational needs and disabilities.

The resources will offer children something practical and age-appropriate to focus on during waiting times, examinations, blood tests, wound care, therapy appointments and other procedures. They are intended to reduce anxiety, support emotional regulation and help staff communicate and engage more easily with young patients.

Because the trolleys are mobile, they can be used in a range of settings, including paediatric wards, outpatient departments, emergency care, radiology, phlebotomy and therapy services. This will allow staff to offer consistent support throughout a child’s hospital journey, rather than limiting the resources to one department.

The project will provide two trolleys, allowing one to be based at each hospital site. It has been developed in response to conversations with children, families and paediatric staff, and has also been supported through the charity’s Ray of Sunshine campaign. Families with direct experience of children’s hospital care have identified sensory resources as a valuable way to make a difficult situation more manageable.

We are pleased that our £1,000 grant will contribute to a resource with lasting value. By helping young patients feel safer, calmer and better supported, the trolleys will also help parents and carers, and assist clinical teams in delivering compassionate care.

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