| ‘Global Icon' Helps Put Hospice On Map |
  
|
 | The archbishop made a trip to the Donna Louise Trust's Treetops hospice, in Trentham, while he was in the city for the unveiling of a statue honouring Gordon Banks.
|
‘Global Icon' Helps Put Hospice On Map
Children with life-threatening conditions enjoyed a surprise visit from the Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
The archbishop made a trip to the Donna Louise Trust's Treetops hospice, in Trentham, while he was in the city for the unveiling of a statue honouring Gordon Banks.
He took a brief tour of the centre before joining some of the children for an interactive story.
As he joined in with the story-telling, he laughed with the children at the props that were brought around.
Afterwards, he led a round of applause and told them: "You are beautiful people."
Archbishop Tutu was then presented with a card made for him by some of the children at the hospice.
He also said a prayer for the children and those who look after them.
The Donna Louise Trust, which provides respite and end-of-life care for children with life-threatening conditions, is one of six charities to benefit from the weekend's activities.
Children at the hospice spent time producing colourful pieces of art in the lead-up to the event and some of them acted as mascots for the tribute match held at the Britannia Stadium.
Andy Grief, of Tutbury, was there for the visit on Saturday.
The 43-year-old, whose step-daughter Sam Tainton goes to Treetops, said he was touched by the morning's activities.
He said: "The way the Archbishop approached every child and carer was fantastic. I feel very special to have witnessed it and the prayer was brilliant.
"From a parent's point of view, I would like to thank him and everyone else who made it happen for his time and visiting our children.
"Treetops is an amazing place and the staff do a fantastic job but there are still a lot of people out there who do not realise the facilities exist.
"If he can put the name of the Donna Louise Trust and Treetops in the limelight, it would be brilliant."
The charity's head of fund-raising, Melanie Mills, said the visit was like a dream come true.
She said: "The archbishop is an amazing, inspirational man. When he enters a room, you know there is something special going on.
"It has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"We are a little hospice doing great work in Stoke-on-Trent and to have a global icon like Archbishop Tutu from South Africa to visit us and be among our children is amazing."
A Wedgwood plaque will now be put up at the hospice to commemorate the visit.
Please click here to watch video footage of Archbishop Tutu's visit to the hospice. |
