Why We Love Supporting Rainbows (And You Should Too!)

Here at Smart Payment Technologies we have supported Rainbows children’s Hospice for several years.

Rainbows is a children’s hospice located in Loughborough, Leicestershire, that supports children and young adults who are living with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. Currently supporting over 750 babies, children and young people, Rainbows focus is on brightening short lives for families and to make the most of every moment, offering the highest level of care alongside fun and engaging activities.

We were lucky enough to have a tour of Rainbows with their corporate partnership fundraiser, Kirsty Coxon, to see where the money from our fundraising efforts were used.

During the tour we were able to see the bedrooms that the children and young people stay in. These are made to feel as homely as possible, with children being able to choose their own bedding and make a personalised sign for their door.

Anyone under Rainbows care has access to the exceptional on-site facilities. We started off by looking in the cinema room, featuring comfy seating and a magical star-lit ceiling. There’s a soft play area where children can enjoy quality time with their families in a safe, clean environment. The sensory room is a standout space, with a full-wall projector with immersive lighting and sound that can be transformed into anything the child can dream of.

The music room is filled with a wide range of instruments, offering patients an outlet for self-expression. This can be particularly helpful for anyone who is non-verbal, as this gives them a way to communicate. The music team can also help before a child is born, by recording the heartbeat of a baby and putting this to music for parents.

The facility features a spacious heated swimming pool with a jacuzzi, designed to be fully accessible—even for patients using breathing apparatus. Next door there is a complementary therapies suite offering treatments for patients, their families, and staff, alongside a dedicated gym space for physiotherapy sessions.

These facilities mean that families can make special memories that outside of the hospice probably wouldn’t be possible due to the risk of infections or not having the right equipment. And for families who only have a limited time together, these memories are so important.

The play area outside has accessible equipment, meaning every child can play along with siblings and parents, something that may not be possible on an ordinary park. We were shown to the arts and crafts room where Kirsty said ‘every child has the right to play’, and this is shown in the dedication and thought that goes into the activities on offer. The staff cater the crafts to each person and for example, even if a child cannot see, meaning they cannot pick their own colour paint, the staff put different scents in the paint, which enables the child to make their own choices.

This message was key throughout our visit. Giving the child and young person a choice.

For the young adults that visit the hospice, they have their own social room complete with games consoles, speakers and a full kitchen with surfaces that move up and down. They are able to cook their own dinners, order pizzas, have drinks with their friends and really live the life of any 18-25 year old. Kirsty even said they were up until 6am on New Years Eve!

As well as the facilities at the hospice, Rainbows also have nurses in hospitals, a hospice at home service for people who are unable to travel to the hospice, family & sibling support and on-site family accommodation.

They also offer bereavement support for 5 years after the death of a loved one. Kirsty highlighted that bereavement could hit at any time which is why they feel it is important to have this option for such a long period of time and is available for parents and siblings.

None of this would be possible without the generosity of the community. Rainbows only receives a small percentage of funding, and the rest is made up from fundraising and donations.

Seeing the facilities and meeting the staff made us very proud to support such an incredible charity. Over the coming months we have a number of fundraising events that our wonderful staff are taking part in including Lorna, Jess, Rachel, Di, Sam & Nic abseiling down Derby Cathedral and Clare, Lucy and Cat running the Royal Parks Half Marathon.

Keep an eye on our socials to see how they get on and for the links to donate!