Parents who have lost their babies are given the chance to grieve privately at the Snowdrop Suite, at Queen's Hospital, in Burton. Now, bereaved families no longer have to worry about menial tasks such as cooking, thanks to staff from a food production company in Burton.
Kerry Foods, which has a production plant in Mosley Street, produces millions of convenience meals every year and, since February 2017, has donated around 20 meals a week to the Snowdrop Suite. Bereaved families have also been treated to a microwave courtesy of Burton Hospitals charity, so they can enjoy their meals at any time of the day or night.
The Snowdrop Suite is a self-contained flat within the hospital where bereaved families can grieve in private but with the support of specialist bereavement midwives. The suite is a functioning patient room, complete with medical equipment.
Specialist bereavement midwife, Sam Evans said: “Our families needs often run outside of normal catering hours so the fact that they have access to hot meals around the clock is truly beneficial.
“I have had very positive feedback from families who have used the Snowdrop Suite since Kerry Foods began donating hot meals and hope that, together, we can continue to make such a difficult time that little bit more comfortable.”
In Burton, Kerry Foods typically creates food from Oriental and Asian parts of the world and employ more than 1,000 people.
Steph Whyman, from Kerry Foods Burton, said: “As Kerry Foods is one of the largest employers in the town, we are keen to give back to our community, and feel that Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is ideal to partner with.
“We are proud to offer our continued support to the hospital, via meal donations to the Snowdrop Suite, along with other charity initiatives throughout the year. We hope that our contributions make a real difference to people in our community.”
Chris Maddox from Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The donations Kerry Foods has given make a genuine difference to people’s time here in the Snowdrop Suite, we are extremely thankful for their generosity. We look forward to the future, working in partnership with Kerry Foods and making a difference to the lives of local people.”
What is the Snowdrop Suite at Burton's Queen's Hospital?
The Snowdrop Suite offers vital support to parents grieving for their babies in Burton and helping them through one of the most heart-breaking times in their life.
The hospital supports grieving parents in a number of other ways including the private suite where bereaved parents can spend precious time with their baby and receive specialist support from the hospital's midwives.
Burton's Queen's Hospital also has a quiet room, which includes a giant image of a tree on the wall where parents can add a leaf bearing the name of their baby. Special memory boxes are created and given to the parents to bring them comfort following the loss of their baby, these can include photographs of the baby along with castings of their hands and feet as well as little teddies and cushions.
