The mayor of Tunbridge Wells has backed the desperate search to find a new base to house nurses caring for children with terminal illnesses.
Until last month, specialist nurses from charity ellenor worked from office space in Tonbridge, providing palliative care including chemotherapy in patients’ homes.
But since the arrangement came to an end, staff have been forced to work from their cars, in supermarket car parks and on the side of the road.
Rebecca Scalzo, head of children’s hospice care at ellenor, said: “This isn’t ideal or indeed safe, particularly when it’s dark and cold.
“We would really love to find a convenient base for up to four people at a time, with good road links, where nurses can call in between appointments and write up their notes and make essential phone calls to all those involved in the care of our children.
“We are really focused on expanding the services we offer our families in southwest Kent and having a base will make it so much easier for us to do that.”
The base would also be used by ellenor respite carers, who provide care in children’s homes, to give parents a break.
Tunbridge Wells mayor Cllr David Elliott has raised more than £16,000 for ellenor, his chosen charity, since he took office in May.
He said: “They need some space, they need somewhere to go.
“The work the nurses do is very important indeed and the service they provide, caring for babies and young children in their own homes, is unique.
“It doesn’t need to be elaborate, they just need a space somewhere.”
Mrs Scalzo said the ellenor nurses will work throughout Christmas, ‘keeping families together at this special time of the year’.
She added: “We would be so grateful to any local business which felt they could donate some space, it would make our Christmas and make the beginning of 2016 bright for our children and their families.
“Having this essential base will make it so much easier for us to reach the families facing terminal illness that require our service.”
Anyone who could help is asked to call Mrs Scalzo on 01474 320007.
