Light fantastic for Zoe’s place

Employees from NWG Total Water Solutions, BT, TUI and P2 Utilities Ltd joined forces to create a magical Winter Wonderland at the centre that provides critical care and support for families going through the most difficult of times.

Paul Leach, from NWG Total Water Solutions, said: “We all wanted to get together to help out because Zoe’s Place is such an inspirational charity that provides palliative and respite care for babies and children with life limiting and life threatening conditions.”

The group of volunteers excavated a new pathway and laid over 90m2 of playbark donated by PBU (UK) LTD. The team also helped hang the external Christmas decorations on the main building and also fairy lights to lead a magical pathway through the woods where the children will get to meet Santa at the annual Christmas Light Spectacular and Fayre on Wednesday 29 November 2018.

Lisa Thomas, Office Manager at Zoe’s Place, Middlesbrough, said: “Without each and every one of you this event would not be able to go ahead. We don’t know what we would do without you. From all the staff, children and families at Zoe’s Place baby hospice, thank you for making our Christmas period especially twinkly and bright.”

The NWG TWS team has helped the charity on numerous occasions throughout the year thanks to Northumbrian Water’s companywide employee volunteering scheme, Just an hour. The Just an hour programme gives employees the opportunity to spend at least 15 hours of paid, work time a year improving local communities in the company’s supply area – from Berwick to North Yorkshire and across to the Pennines.

Lisa added “With the support on our drains from your contractor Aquajet and also P2 Utilities work on our pathways, yours and your teams support with the lights and your continued support with sweet treat collections, we really would have been lost without you guys this year. Your continued support and assistance has saved the hospice a considerable amount in monetary value this year and will hopefully make this year’s switch on the best so far.”

The majority of the support given at Zoë’s Place is respite care. All of the babies at the Hospice have a life-limiting or life-threatening condition and require differing levels of 24 hour support on a one to one basis. Zoë’s Place offers parents and carers a chance to recharge their batteries or to spend time with their other children. For more info go to www.zoes-place.org.uk