Bluebell Wood puts on a night to remember

Bluebell Wood made sure November 5th was a day to remember for all the right reasons for the families it supports who loved every minute of its show-stopping festival of light spectacular.

In ordinary times, the hospice would be filled with smiling faces as families sip hot chocolate, take part in craft activities and chat before they gather for a fireworks display that is specially designed for children with complex needs.
While this has not been possible this year, the charity pulled out all the stops to make sure they didn’t miss out on the chance to make precious memories.

Thanks to a generous £1,000 grant from Sheffield charity ‘Create a Dream Foundation’ the hospice was able to beam all the fun of Bonfire Night directly to families’ homes, as well as sending out a special care package to enhance the experience.
Eight-year-old Amelia Rhodes-Harrop, who has a life-shortening condition and visits Bluebell Wood for respite care, had a night to remember.

“Amelia absolutely loved it,” said mum Jennie Harrop-Rhodes, from Penistone.

“It was obviously different to normal years and we wish we could be there in person, but this was a lovely way to get people together. She particularly liked the fire dancer and fireworks and is already planning to bake the recipe. Thank you so much for making is happen.”
The night saw a professional fire dancer courtesy of Rational Arts and a huge fireworks display thanks to a discount bundle from Fantastic Fireworks, with the whole show filmed in the familiar surroundings of Bluebell Wood’s gardens. There were also crafts, baking and more as families settled in for a cosy night of interactive fun.

Adam Salt’s family, who’ve spent months shielding their extremely vulnerable 13-year-old son this year, enjoyed putting their feet up for the show.

“It was brilliant,” said mum Kerry Salt, from Chesterfield.

“We all loved the fire dancer and the fireworks and the slow motion parts were fantastic. It was great fun to join in from the sofa – thank you to everyone for such a great show.”

Sheffield charity Create a Dream Foundation, who has built a close working relationship with Bluebell Wood since their inception and helped fulfil many dreams along the way, we’re delighted to lend their support.

Matt Peace, Trustee at Create a Dream Foundation, said: “Given the current climate, when we heard about the idea of a socially distanced experience we jumped at the chance to support and make it happen.

“It’s been a difficult year for all charities and Create a Dream Foundation is no different. We’ve had a year of planning, rearranging and postponing dreams to 2021.

“Therefore, being able to support Bluebell Wood with this event was an easy decision and one we hope was well received by the children and families.

“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our fundraisers for making it possible for Create a Dream to support this event and all dreams created in 2020.”

The hospice now plans to share the video with several local schools to make sure as many children as possible have the chance to enjoy it.
Sally Wilcock, Family Support Manager at Bluebell Wood, said: “Occasions such as Bonfire Night are incredibly important to the families in our care, many of whom miss out on the milestones so many of us take for granted, such as a child learning to walk or talk.

“That’s why we were determined to make sure they didn’t miss out on Bonfire Night after a year in which they’ve already made so many sacrifices to keep their children safe.

“These magical moments are incredibly important to families who simply don’t know how long they’ll have together, which is why we do everything in our power to make sure they have the chance to make memories they’ll always treasure.”