Apache's Bond Committee donates £50,000 to Charlie House to support their Big Build Appeal and the creation of the Counselling Room within the specialist support centre.
Charlie House, a children’s charity based in North-east Scotland today (Saturday 29th May 2021) announces that Apache North Sea, a subsidiary of Apache Corporation, has made a significant donation in support of the charity’s Big Build appeal. Apache’s Bond Committee, which manages funds generated by the company’s offshore workforce, has donated £50,000 to fund the Counselling Room in the Charlie House Specialist Support Centre.
Launched in November 2018, The Big Build Appeal called upon the people and businesses of North-east Scotland to support Charlie House in its fundraising campaign to raise £8million for the Charlie House Specialist Support Centre.
The centre will support babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions and will be built in the grounds of Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen. It will be an 8-bedroom centre, with additional family accommodation, set in 4 acres of ground. The state-of-the-art building will feature a sensory room, library, spa pool, craft room, teen den, soft play area, therapy room, star room, for end-of-life care & bereavement, outdoor play area and sensory gardens as well as adaptable meeting space and office space for the Charlie House team and medical staff.
“Right from the start the North-east got behind our Big Build Appeal, we’re grateful that momentum has continued and are absolutely delighted to be announcing such a considerable pledge,” says Tracy Johnstone, Chair of Charlie House.
“Being a parent is hard enough, but nothing prepares you for being the parent of a child with a life-limiting condition and the rollercoaster of emotions that become a daily occurrence,” continues Tracy. “The £50,000 donated by Apache will fund a private, calm, relaxed and safe space within Charlie House. Support delivered to families in this space will help them to continue positively in their caring role and will also help them to take care of their own well-being.”
The easily accessible counselling room will be on the ground floor of the Charlie House Specialist Support Centre. The room will be furnished to provide a welcoming and comfortable place for families to engage with support staff as they start to use Charlie House Services and throughout their child’s life journey with Charlie House. The counselling room will be used to schedule specific appointments with family members as well as to accommodate a family member who may need a moment to reflect on entering or leaving the centre.
Leigh Ryrie, Children and Family Support Manager explains, “Many elements of a family’s journey with Charlie House can be daunting. It could be that it is the first time they are visiting the Specialist Support Centre to look round it, or perhaps they want to speak to someone in private or simply that they need to take a moment to gather themselves. We want the space to be private, welcoming and comfortable, somewhere that allows the family members to engage with support and express themselves. There is no doubt that having a dedicated counselling room will facilitate supporting family wellbeing in a comfortable and calm environment.”
Mairi Smith, Technical Assistant and Apache Bond Committee member, comments, “Apache takes pride in responding to the needs of its local community, supporting areas that align with our values and that are important to our employees.” “Charlie House’s vision for a specialist care centre, complete with its counselling room, will transform the support available to children and their families, expanding the reach of their services and support mechanisms across the North-east of Scotland.”
Tracy concludes, “We will feature a bespoke plaque outside the Counselling Room in recognition of Apache’s support of our Big Build Appeal. This will be visible to all those visiting the Charlie House Specialist Support Centre.”
For further information on the Charlie House Big Build Appeal and project, and to find out how you can support us, please visit our Big Build page here or call 01224 313333.
