A guest blog from our friends at Princess Alice Hospice.
Rachael Basak, Head of Community Involvement and Support at Princess Alice Hospice, first came across Beyond Words when she discovered Kingston University’s Victoria and Stuart project, which was developed to support people with learning disabilities with end of life care planning.
That project inspired Rachael to look for other creative ways the Hospice could reach people before, during and after death. Supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people were 2 of 10 defined priorities identified by the Hospice in their work focusing on diversity and inclusion.
When Rachael contacted Beyond Words at their new base in Leatherhead, she was intrigued when they asked if she would be interested to run a Beyond Words book club at the Hospice. The result was a highly successful event this month, that welcomed over 40 participants, including people from the local community, staff and volunteers. Together, the group read “Ginger is a Hero”.
Rachael says: ‘It was so powerful to watch books coming to life in a completely different way, to challenge assumed abilities and, above all, to see the happiness and joy in the room.’
Nigel Seymour, Chief Executive of Princess Alice Hospice, said: ‘It was a brilliant experience and the highlight of my week. Loved the book too, but I may be biased, being a cat lover!’
The Hospice will be displaying Beyond Words books for all to enjoy and learn more about. Rachael now has a group of colleagues committed to supporting her to run regular Beyond Word book clubs at the Hospice. Get in touch if you would like to get involved and watch this space!
@pahospice