THOUSANDS of pounds have been donated to the region’s hospices for children and young people in Sutton Scotney.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) has awarded grant funding from its NHS Covid-19 Fund to Naomi House and Jacksplace.

Following the outbreak of coronavirus the hospices temporarily suspended its regular respite service, but last month Naomi House decided to reopen to provide funded respite care for the region’s life-limited children.

Now HIWCF has donated £5,000 to enable respite counselling, sibling support, play therapy, at-home activity, social work and peer support for families to continue through telephone and virtual meetings.

Naomi House and Jacksplace chief executive Mark Smith said the charity is “hugely grateful” to the foundation for “their generous grant during these challenging times”.

Grant Cornwell MBE, chief executive at HIWCF, added: “Naomi House and Jacksplace are providing vital care for incredibly vulnerable people and we are delighted that this grant helped care to continue albeit in a different way for young people and allowed patients to receive the additional care they needed upon release from hospital, helping to ease the pressure on the NHS.

“Our thanks must go to the NHS and our HIWCF donors for helping us to establish the Covid-19 Fund, enabling our local charities and community groups to make a difference during these difficult times.”

The foundation’s Covid-19 Fund was established through joint funding from the NHS and HIWCF donors.