Pictured: (from left) Ambulanceman Mick Rogers and daughter
Lisa Rogers are joined in the Pandalance by Jayne Hanson and Hayley
Cockerill of Pertemps People Development Group
A unique ambulance designed to make trips to hospital less
daunting for young patients facing life-saving treatment has been
given a boost by generous Birmingham workers.
Pandalance helps to ease the fears of children from the West
Midlands as it carries them to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Kings Norton, Birmingham, and other hospitals throughout the
region.
It is kitted out with consoles and games, a DVD player and panda
soft toys. Staff even wear panda shirts and each child gets a
Sidney the Paramedic panda toy to take home.
The service - provided by the West Midlands Ambulance Service
(WMAS) - has been given a donation of £350 by staff at
employment experts Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG). The
good cause was nominated by PPDG employee Hayley Cockerill, a
receptionist and administrator at the company's Edgbaston head
office.
Hayley nominated the Pandalance after hearing from friend Lisa
Rogers that it now needs to be replaced and efforts are being made
to raise the £80,000 that is required. Lisa, of the Safety
Deposit Centre, took part in a sponsored bike ride and raised
£413 for the cause.
Hayley said: "I heard about the Pandalance and the fantastic
service it provides and was disappointed to learn that it is under
threat because it is getting old and needs to be replaced. The NHS
doesn't have the money available to replace it so they are
dependent on donations to raise funds and have been staging events
such as bike rides and open days.
"This ambulance is the only one in the West Midlands that is
solely for the purpose of transporting children to and from
hospital for treatment such as dialysis or chemotherapy. It can be
very daunting for a child but the Pandalance makes the experience a
little less frightening.
"They have raised around £13,000 so far but need another
£70,000, so they've still got a long way to go. I'm delighted
that Pertemps People Development Group was able to help."
Elaine Lewis, of the WMAS, said: "We are extremely grateful to
everyone at Pertemps People Development Group for their generosity.
Pandalance is a very important service which, with the support of
businesses and people in the community, we are determined to keep
on the road."
PPDG's total donations to charities and good causes through its
award winning payroll-giving scheme recently broke the
£150,000 barrier. Around two thirds of employees are involved
in payroll deductions that benefit others less fortunate in the
community.
For more information about Pertemps People Development Group,
please visit their website here: www.ppdg.co.uk