'I can breathe again' - Joy as Sophie's Legacy and QA Hospital release new wide-ranging paediatric food menu
Varied food menu brings QA hospital up to standards
After five years of pushing for change, a local charity has helped to transform the food available to children at Queen Alexandra Hospital.
Charlotte Fairall, the mother and founder of Sophie’s Legacy, has worked towards reforming the food on offer to children and young people in the paediatrics department since her daughter died in 2021 of a rare childhood cancer. When staying at the Cosham hospital Sophie described the food as ‘disgusting’ and wanted more choice.
On Monday, August 24, members of Sophie’s Legacy joined hospital staff to launch the new menu and see the first children taste the new options. While previously children just had the same options as adults except for two further options, which was always chips and a rotating option of fish cake, pizza or nuggets, now the menu boasts a variety of options including light bites such as paninis and jacket potatoes.
Charlotte said: “I have been trying to get a new children’s menu since just before Sophie died. She described the food as ‘disgusting’ and we have been working with the hospital to try and get that changed ever since.
“The menu is so much better, it is going to cater for all ages because the children’s ward has nought to 17 year-olds in there, so there is options for everyone. The contrast is so different from before and I am so excited that we are finally here.”
Charlotte has been heavily involved in pushing for the change and praised the ”team effort” from everyone at the hospital “at every level” that has made it happen.
Seeing the changes come to fruition was a significant moment for Charlotte. She said: “I was quite emotional last night knowing that the children were getting the menus to decide for their lunch. I just thought of Sophie and what she would have chosen.
“It means so much, this one of the hospitals she really wanted the menu change and it feels like I can breathe again knowing we have finally got this through. I am so pleased that children and young people who are coming in can hopefully enjoy the food they are eating and have a better choice.”
Gina Stanley, divisional nurse director at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust , chaired the nutrition and hydration steering group to help implement the changes. She was delighted to finally launch the new menu and provide healthier options for young patients.
She said: “We have designed a new menu with options to suit a variety of children aged between one and 17 and give them a wider range of options for their lunch and evening meal, which includes things like pastas and curries and light bites like paninis and jacket potatoes.
“It is a massive change from the old menu. The new menu is quite vast and also includes plant based options which came about from feedback we had from children in preparation for the changes. It is a lot more healthy. We have a lot more fruit as well as vegetables in dishes like a cauliflower and broccoli pasta dish.”
At the launch of the menu, staff and patients got the chance to try some of the new food options.
Gina said: “The response so far has been really positive from children. We have children aged from two to 12 tasting the menu and they have really enjoyed the meals.”
One such patient was Max Jordan, 11, from Drayton. He has been at the hospital since Friday afternoon after he fell nearly 20 feet from a rope swing in Foxes Forest causing a broken arm and injuries to his kidneys.
He was impressed with the changes to the menu and the work that has been put in to improve it with the chicken korma his favourite of his new options.
Max said: “I think what Sophie’s Legacy is doing for the hospital is very good. The new food is is giving so much more to the hospital and it is a better menu. There is a big difference between the old and the new one, it’s much better.”
The new menu now means the food offering meets the standards set by the 10 year NHS cancer plan as well as the school and hospital food standards.