Kokova Magazine

The Ideal Home Show at Christmas is delighted to announce Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity as its official charity partner for their Homes for Heroes appeal. Donations made will go towards the hospital's Family Accommodation Services, ensuring that families can stay together and have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones.

With the show still running over this weekend (13th - 17th November) there is still time to show your support while shopping for some great Christmas ideas.

For most of us Christmas is a time to be spent at home, with family and friends. Unfortunately for families of seriously ill children this is often not a possibility. Patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital require specialist treatment which requires them to stay in hospital for round-the-clock care.

The logistics of supporting a child in hospital brings its own concerns, as families juggle travelling and visiting, the childcare of siblings and also financial implications. The Charity aims to relieve some of the pressure by providing family accommodation close to the hospital as keeping families together is also beneficial for a child's recovery.

"At Great Ormond Street Hospital we believe that there can be no better care and reassurance than for a child to know that their parent is close by so we strive to offer facilities that will keep families together. As many of our patients travel from across the UK it is vital that we are able to provide accommodation near the hospital for families. On average over 500 parents a week stay in the family accommodation funded by the charity."

Ellie Fitzgerald, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity

The Ideal Home Show Christmas aims to raise around £10,000 which will go towards the upkeep and running costs of family accommodation and visitors to the Ideal Home Show Christmas will be able to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity:

• Visit the GOSH Christmas cabin, next to the Ice Rink, where branded merchandise, perfect for gifts and stocking fillers, will be on sale.
• GOSH volunteers will be at the show collecting donations.
• There is an option to donate when booking tickets for the show.
• Photo opportunities with Father Christmas, in exchange for a donation.

After the show all of the Christmas trees and props used throughout the show will be sent to GOSH where they will be used for the annual Christmas parties which are attended by all of the patients and families at GOSH.

Visit www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk for more details.