Date published: 14 July 2017 by Anna Jackson

Gymboree Play & Music have been supporting and fundraising for Rainbow Trust since 2016.

In the last six months that support has grown and both the Surbiton and Walton-on-Thames branches now offer drop-in groups for the families supported by our Surrey Care Team.

The Surbiton branch, with its lovely wooden apparatus, invites families supported by Rainbow Trust to attend an appropriate class. Our Family Support Workers have also taken siblings there on a few occasions and the children have had loads of fun.

Walton-on-Thames offers the same wonderful classes and also have a play den that the children can use. These sessions offer local Rainbow Trust families the opportunity to socialise with other families, share experiences and gives the children the chance to play with others. Treatment and hospital stays take precedence in these children’s lives so having the opportunity to play in a safe environment is invaluable.

On the last Tuesday of the month, between 12pm and 2pm, Amanda, our Family Support volunteer, and a member of the Surrey Care Team will be at the branch to offer any advice and support.

Lyn Sweet, one of our Family Support Workers, said:

The staff are very accommodating and remember the children’s names - very professional and fun to work with.

While the drop-in sessions are still in their infancy, they are proving to be a success and allow Rainbow Trust to further support the families in their care.