Mike Wilks with Simone Enefer-Doy

Charity Lifelites donates specialist technology worth £50,000 for children and young adults at Hampshire hospices

The children and young people at Naomi House & Jacksplace hospices for children and young adults in Winchester have been donated a package of specialist technology by national children’s charity Lifelites, thanks to funding from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasons.

The package includes a variety of assistive technology specially adapted for children with disabilities and can be used by the children to play games with their family and carers, be creative with art and music, and communicate with those around them. Along with the equipment, the charity provides training and technical support services, and altogether this costs around £50,000 over its four year lifespan, but was donated completely free of charge thanks to the money raised from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and Isle of Wight, who have covered the entire cost. Lifelites will replace the technology every four years.

This donation is the second that the hospices have received from Lifelites this year, after Jacksplace were the first children’s hospice in the British Isles to be donated some Virtual Reality equipment and games by the charity.

Claire Floyd, Play Specialist at Naomi House & Jacksplace told us about the impact that the VR equipment has had:

Daniel, one of our young people, used to play on the Xbox all the time, but due to his condition he’s no longer able to hold the controller. It’s been a couple of years since he’s been on the Xbox but VR has opened back up gaming to him, and he absolutely loves it. He’s very quiet and it helps him socialise with our other young people. It brings them together and they’re able to meet other people who have the same problems they do, but they can just forget about that and be young people playing games.

In the latest package, one of the pieces of equipment is an Eyegaze. This allows those with limited mobility to control a computer using just their eyes.  By using the Eyegaze, children who can only use their eyes and struggle to control anything for themselves, are suddenly able to play a game, paint a picture or even communicate with their family and carers, perhaps for the first time.

Other items include iPads, touchscreen computers along with lots of games and other software specially designed to be accessible for children with disabilities.

Mike Wilks, the Provincial Grand Master for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasons said:

My wife Kay and I have seen the incredible difference which Lifelites technology has made to the lives of children in hospices – the ability for these children to make things happen for themselves, to communicate perhaps for the first time, is priceless.  Freemasons across the Province have supported Naomi House and Jack’s Place over the years; and are proud to cover the cost of the new Lifelites package at the Hospice.

Simone Enefer-Doy, Chief Executive of Lifelites said:

 We are thrilled to be able to provide equipment for the children and young people at Naomi House & Jacksplace who have life-limiting, life-threatening and disabling conditions, all thanks to the incredible generosity of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and Isle of Wight. The magical technology we will donate can be used to play, to be creative and communicate, and enrich the lives of these children and their families, for as long as it is possible.

Lifelites has donated equipment to every children’s hospice in the British Isles over the last 17 years, and continues to provide new technology and ongoing support to ensure that children in hospices have unlimited possibilities. Lifelites was able to donate the equipment due to the incredible generosity of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

Photo: Mike Wilks with Simone Enefer-Doy


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