MEMBERS of the St Austell Probus Club and their wives, partners and friends were given a talk on Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW).

Bethany Rudge, who is based at the Little Harbour hospice at Porthpean, St Austell, gave the talk at the club’s ladies lunch day, held in a marquee at the Britannia Inn.

A club spokesperson said: “Bethany gave a rundown of the history of CHSW and its current status. In 1991, Eddie Farwell and his wife Jill, both now sadly deceased, had occasion to realise that the only hospice available to children of the South West was in Oxford and they set about establishing more local facilities.

“The first hospice they opened was at Little Bridge House, near Barnstaple, while the second was Charlton Farm, near Bristol. In 2011, Little Harbour was opened to cater for children and their families from Cornwall and Plymouth.

“Children are given meticulous nursing and medical treatment and both they and their families are given the best care and emotional support. Dedicated sibling support teams are in place to help with care and understanding especially for young close relatives.

“The hydrotherapy pool offers welcome relief for many suffering pain, while music therapy is popular with the children who often become proficient at playing the instruments.

“Fundraising is welcomed, of course, as each hospice costs around £3.9-million per year to run.

“Visitors are welcomed to the hospices to see how they are run and see the great measures of care that are in place. Appointments should be made to arrange these visits.

“Our chairman Gary Truscott thanked Bethany for her talk and gave her the club donation for the hospice. Also, Gary gave her an extra donation from last month's speaker Jeremy Soper.”

For information on the club, contact secretary John Dearing on 01726 844368 or the lunch secretary on 01726 844950.