Friends of the Phoenix Centre

Open-air performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor

Started in April 2003, the 25-member Friends of the Phoenix Centre assists the families and children who experiencing the traumas of an eating disorder. They understand what a difficult experience this can be and aim to make the stay of the family as comfortable as possible. They raise funds to improve the facilities. In addition, they hope to improve awareness and understanding of eating disorders through communication and fundraising.

Based at the Ida Darwin site at Fulbourn near Cambridge, The Phoenix Centre is a ten-bed unit offering high quality in- and out-patient care for sufferers of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. These devastating and complex disorders often include over-exercising and sometimes obsessive-compulsive and self-harming behaviours.

In-patients often stay for several months while their weight, which will have dropped to life-threatening levels, is carefully restored, and each patient has their own meal-plan. They are under the care of a specialist team of a consultant psychiatrist, dietician, psychotherapists and nurses and are able to continue their education at the unit's school during treatment. Visits by parents and families are very much encouraged and they are involved in many of the therapy sessions. There is a fortnightly support group which gives an opportunity for families to share their worries in the face of disorders that are frightening and difficult to understand.

The Friends have recently raised funds to convert part of the building into a family sitting room and conservatory, where patients can spend time alone with their visiting families. This is particularly valuable during the first weeks of treatment when patients are too ill to be allowed home visits. Previously, all that was available to visitors were the general open plan lounge or the patients' bedrooms. The sitting room overlooks an enclosed grass area, and the Friends would like to create a garden there to give a more attractive outlook.

Since 2002, the Friends have financed:

• Five laptop computers for the Phoenix school
• A new pool table for the lounge
• A new dining table for the room where patients are helped to overcome their difficulties surrounding family meals
• A subscription to Sky TV for a trial period of a year
• A digital camera with printer for use by the patients
• A printer for the computer in the patients' lounge
• A whiteboard so patients can indulge their graffiti moments
• Three over-the-bed tables to enable patients prescribed bed rest to pursue quiet craft activities
• Various musical, art and craft activities and equipment, particularly needed during the holidays.

The biggest challenge was to raise enough money to fund the family sitting room project while still funding other smaller projects at the centre. The Friends will continue raising money for the project, organise the creation of the garden, and raise funds for other projects in the centre; the Friends have been successful so far in purchasing computers and recreational equipment. For the future, the group is looking to obtain support from businesses locally and nationally. They hope that patients, parents and schools will participate in the fundraising activities and help raise the profile of the group.

Quotes

“The Friends are a fairly new venture that is constantly looking for more support. But so far we've done very well.” — Jo Davenport, chairman

Contact details

Jo Davenport
info@friendsofphoenix.org.uk
01353 648403
Friends of Phoenix.org.uk

Location: England East
Sector: Hospital