Piggles Trust is a groundbreaking charity set up by a friend after she tragically lost her daughter, Harriet. The charity was set up to provide pre-school education to patients and their siblings in hospital. When children are in hospital they suffer considerably by missing out on vital education and Piggles Trust firmly believes they should not fail to experience the benefits of education due to their confinement in hospital. Children who are unwell deserve, need, and will benefit from education just as much as their peers. This fantastic charity addresses this issue by providing Nursery Nurses providing vital educational provisions which are currently so lacking.

This is what Caroline says…

We set up Piggies Trust in 2017 in memory of our little girl, Harriet who tragically passed away in May 2016. Harriet was born with a serious congenital heart defect, which unfortunately was not diagnosed at birth, but at a year old. She had her first open heart surgery a couple of months later. She was then struck down with a bacterial infection on her heart and after spending 7 gruelling months in hospital, came through this horrendous ordeal with flying colours. Returning home just before Christmas, Harriet enjoyed some long overdue and hugely cherished family time getting straight back into normal life as a 4-year-old, until, a few months later, she suddenly fell ill and died within hours. 

The overwhelming and continuing shock that Harriet’s family and friends are feeling is immense. We are determined that her name and character will live on in PigglesTrust, which we set up to provide pre-school education to patients and their siblings in hospital – children are entitled to receive this education and we are committed to delivering this within the hospital environment so that ALL children (including siblings of patients) can benefit. 

Creating a ‘normal’ environment with the most ‘abnormal’ of situations is the hardest challenge any children’s department within a hospital is faced with, and Piggles Trust aims to create more of a ‘home from home’ experience, specifically through education. 

This is groundbreaking and has NEVER been done before. We have just appointed our first hospital based nursery nurse at Southampton Hospital so are all guns blazing, and ready to start fundraising for our next appointment! 

It is our vision that “NO CHILD SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND”! 

Caroline x

Please click here to learn more and to support this fantastic charity.