Morrisons CEO Rami Baitiéh finds more reasons to support Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice

A new garden counselling room at the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice was opened by businessman Rami Baitiéh, CEO of the Morrisons supermarket chain.

Mr Baitiéh was joined by hospice CEO Gareth Pierce and Simone Holdcroft and Stephen Popple, a couple supported by the hospice after the loss of baby Leo during pregnancy in November 2020.

The garden counselling room, a space for counselling, peer support and sibling groups at Russell House in Huddersfield was built thanks to £37,650 of funding from the Morrisons and Together for Short Lives national partnership’s ‘Building a Legacy Together Grant.’

In February 2022 Morrisons launched a three-year charity partnership with Together for Short Lives, a national charity who support the UK’s 54 children’s hospices.

Locally Forget Me Not fundraisers and Morrisons store staff have raised an additional £134,309 so far. The partnership aims to raise £10 million across the UK by October 2024 to support families and their children with life-shortening illnesses.

As a charity in Morrisons’ West Yorkshire heartland, Forget Me Not has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the supermarket giant who have always been generous supporters.

They also became the first children’s hospice to employ a midwife thanks to dedicated funding for the post from Sir Ken and Edna Morrison.

 

Simone and Stephen attended the opening with son Ezra, aged two, and Simone said: “I don’t know what we would have done if it wasn’t for the advice, therapy and support from the team at Forget Me Not. It really did help us keep going after losing Leo. They helped us to focus on the light in our darkest moments.”

Mr Pierce said: “When we were looking at how to extend our offering on counselling for families we wanted something that was part of the hospice but wasn’t in the hospice.

“Russell House is a cheerful, welcoming place but it’s not every family that wants to go back inside the main building on a regular basis after the loss of their child.

“Having this quiet, cosy space in our grounds means we make it easier for families to access the counselling that is so vital in supporting them.”

Mr Baitiéh said: “I am delighted that the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice has been assisted with a grant for a counselling room that will improve the support given to families. It was an honour to visit the hospice and see first hand the positive impact this will deliver.”