QA paediatric project with local Rotary Clubs thanked for their efforts
When QA hospital made it known in 2025 that they needed help to fund the artwork for the new A&E Paediatric department, nearly all the local Rotary clubs answered the call.
They were marshalled by Havant Rotary (now president) Graham Smith, who was awarded the Havant Honorary Citizen Award a couple of days later as part of the Mayor making ceremony at The Plaza, in recognition of his services to the Havant community over the last 30 years; well done Graham!
On a pleasant Monday evening at the Bear Hotel, Havant, a large audience assembled including rotarians from the clubs of Fareham, Portsmouth North, Southsea Castle, Gosport, Portsmouth & Southsea, Fareham Meon and Havant, the current and next District Governors, and direct members, a further example of all the area’s clubs supporting each other
The original target for Rotary was £7,000; thank to various fund raising events and donations involving all the clubs, over £9,000 was raised, for which the nurses and staff at QA were very grateful
This led to Zoe Barnett and Jane Marsh from QA presenting to the audience what had changed and what was still required
Graham did a brief overview, including that Rotarian Paul Jones was so excited whilst visiting to view the artwork he fell and became an inpatient
Zoe then went through all the different sections that had been changed from plain walls and a rather cold environment for some of the most vulnerable people in our community, pretty sick children, to change to some marvellous and imaginative scenes and drawings, helping not just the youngsters but the families and nursing staff as well. Win, win, win for all
Common themes of the artwork included seagulls, flying and on posts, puffins with numbers to help signpost the beds for each youngster, the pier for adolescents, beach huts, Spinnaker Tower, beach scenes, fish on doors, all beautifully put together by local artist Lizzie Cornelius ([email protected])
Zoe has always indicated that the main reason for the art is to create an environment to help a child in need of treatment to relax, a relaxed child being easier to treat and so achieve a better outcome.
Some parent comments include “even the patients love it”, “when did this appear, it’s brilliant” and “I can say to the children to find the puffin number - so much fun”
The next phase is to include the adolescent rooms, mental health assessment room and the Gosport minor injuries unit, explained by Jane
If you’d like to know more about the QA plans, please contact Zoe (023 9228 6000) or, for Rotary, contact Graham (07516 100 585)
A most enjoyable and satisfactory project that helps parents and children experiencing one of “the worst days of their lives” in almost all cases
Ken Ebbens
President, Southsea Castle Rotary