The Free Hospital Trust Fund (FHTF) has awarded Gloucestershire charity Campden Home Nursing a grant of £3,500.

In addition, it has awarded the charity £322 towards play therapist training and registration to help more bereaved children.

Campden Home Nursing provides a serious illness support service, based at Jecca's House in Chipping Campden, a hospice care at home service for those with a life-limiting illness and bereavement services for adults and children. All are free of charge.

Last year, the charity introduced play therapy to their range of services and has committed significant investment for a new member of staff to deliver this service, as part of a long-term strategy to better support local families and children.

The therapy is for bereaved children, aged four to 12 years and aims to help them make sense of the loss, or anticipated loss, of someone close to them. Play and art is used as a child's natural form of expression and communication to help them explore and process their feelings.

At Jecca's House, the charity's headquarters in Chipping Campden, there is a dedicated therapeutic space with the necessary play equipment, toys and facilities.

The charity aims to extend its provision of the play therapy services to operate as an outreach service, within a defined geographical catchment area, meaning more children can receive the help they need, including disadvantaged families, who are currently struggling to access other services.

Helen Makaritis, chief executive officer at Campden Home Nursing, said: "We sought a funding contribution for training Anita Dee, our trainee play therapist, and for materials to enable delivery of service in the community and are delighted that the Free Hospital Trust Fund has awarded us this grant, which will enable us to help more bereaved children, throughout a wider geographical area."

For more information about Campden Home Nursing's play therapy service, visit the charity's website, call 01386 840505 or email: anita.dee@campdenhomenursing.org

The Free Hospital Trust Fund has been in existence since 1947 and originates from the creation of a free hospital for sick children from poor families in 1866.

The Free Hospital Fund for Children provides grants for the benefit of sick and suffering children who reside in Gloucestershire. The grants include clothing and shoes and if applicable, bedding grants for individual children and their siblings and block grants to other organisations/charities for relevant projects.