"A place full of happiness and life"

You may be suprised to learn that the above comment is about a very special environment - namely hospices - but more specifically Butterwick House Children's Hospice where love, life, and laughter shines through.

Butterwick House continues to provide specialist care to children and their families from across the North East. The Hospice offers a warm welcome in homely surroundings.

At Butterwick House we care for children aged from birth to 19 years of age who suffer from a life limiting illness. We currently care for children and their families from Teesside, County Durham, North Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear.

We aim to enrich their all too short lives in as many ways as possible, together with providing much needed respite care for their families.

There is necessarily a high level of staffing in Butterwick House as many of the children who come to Butterwick need 24hr care and must be monitored at all times. However, the atmosphere is friendly and families coming to the Hospice for the first time are soon at ease with the staff and surroundings and feel able to spend time recharging their batteries while their child is cared for by the Butterwick House team.

Each precious hour of this specialist care costs around £100. We rely on the continued generosity of people in the communities we serve to help sustain our vital work.

Funding is always a concern for Butterwick Children's Hospice and remains our greatest annual challenge. Last year we received only 3% of our costs in statutory funding and next year face a £150,000 loss of funding when a three year grant from the New Opportunities Fund runs out. The fundraising team are working hard to ensure that the vital services that the care team provide can be sustained.

If you'd like more information about Butterwick Children's Hospice please contact the fundraising team on 01642 624231.