Portable libraries donated for children at two Morecambe Bay hospitals

Team Evie is a charity launched by the family of Evie Johnston, who passed away at six months old due to several congenital conditions relating to her heart, lungs and digestion.

The charity funds medical equipment and provide training to save children’s lives, works to make time in hospital easier for sick children and reduce anxiety for families, and supports bereaved parents in their time of need.

Evie’s dad Greg, chief executive of Team Evie, visited the two hospitals along with Evie’s sisters Imani, six, and Anais, four, and her grandparents Stephen and Hazel to deliver the portable libraries.

He said: “Evie was in intensive care for most of her life, and we read to her constantly when she was in hospital.

“Reading to children can reduce stress and help them to relax, which can help them to recover.

“Hospitals can also be a strange environment for siblings of poorly children, and reading can help them to feel more at ease.

“We hope these new portable libraries will come in useful for children, parents and staff on the wards.”

Funds for the books and trolleys were raised through school reading challenges organised by Team Evie. Around 20 libraries have been created so far, and each book is marked with a sticker showing which school raised the funds to buy it.

The portable libraries were donated to the Children’s Ward at Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the Special Care Baby Unit at Furness General Hospital via Bay Hospitals Charity, which funds the latest equipment for University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust to help make patients more comfortable and ensure they get the best possible care and treatment.

UHMBT Executive Chief Nurse Bridget Lees said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Team Evie for this generous donation to our wards.

“This new collection of books will be appreciated by children of all ages along with their parents and siblings, and is a lovely way of honouring Evie’s memory.”

To donate and support your local NHS hospital, contact Bay Hospitals Charity on 01524 516064 or email [email protected].