"Please - not so many chocolate Easter eggs!" says Brian House children's hospice

Two-year-old Leandra, pictured with Rachel Hennessy, cant enjoy chocolate

Brian House Children’s Hospice has been overwhelmed with generous donations of piles of chocolate Easter eggs each year - but as many of its young patients are tube-fed, they have no way of enjoying the delicious treats.

The hospice has now devised a new plan that will allow all children to get into the holiday spirit.

A ‘virtual egg’ donation on the charity’s website could buy craft materials, cover the cost of the hospice’s specialist staff, pay for a movie night or cover mini-bus costs for a trip to the beach.

A hospice spokesman said: “Year on year Brian House receives more and more chocolate Easter eggs – but it’s a sad fact that many of the children using the hospice cannot eat chocolate, due to their complex medical conditions.

“A small cash donation to buy a virtual egg online can help pay for treats that every child at Brian House can enjoy throughout the year.”

Lauren Codling, corporate fund-raiser, said: “Brian House will always have room for some chocolate, but we are seeing more children with very complex medical needs, and most cannot eat chocolate – or any food.

“We didn’t want anyone to feel left out. Even though our nurses come up with ingenious ways of using chocolate donated to us, such as melting it for craft sessions, we get more chocolate eggs than we can use at Easter.

“By holding a collection for us at work, or at school, supporters can use the proceeds to buy one of our ‘virtual’ Easter eggs online. The money raised will help make egg-citing, happy memories for all our youngsters.

“There will always be chocolate at Brian House, but with so many children who are tube fed, it seems unfair to have people give gifts they can’t all enjoy.

“A donation towards daily life at Brian House means we can include everyone, despite the complex challenges they face, making very special memories for each child and for their family, no matter what the future brings.”

To learn more about how you can give children the gift of egg-cellent adventures this Easter, visit the Brian House website at www.brianhouse.org.uk/support-us/easter.