Solent NHS staff ask the community to help fill the windows of child development centre with rainbows

Dozens of colourful pictures are beginning to fill the windows of Battenburg Children and Families Centre in Battenburg Avenue, North End, after Solent NHS Trust staff put out a plea for schools to send in their artwork.

The centre delivers specialist support to children and their carers, hosting everything from the speech and language therapies team to the children's community palliative care nursing team.

The idea to brighten up the centre, which is still open to children who need medical services, came from Stephanie Clark, head of quality and professions for children and families.

She said: ‘Going out walking we see all the lovely rainbows everywhere so I thought it would be lovely for children walking past to see rainbows in our windows.

‘For our staff here it puts a smile on their face. It’s lovely to see the bright pictures that people are drawing for us.’

Her daughter, a teacher at Court Lane Junior School, sent in the first cheerful rainbow picture from pupils, most of whom are children of key workers.

More than 40 drawings have been posted to the centre so far, including a rainbow made of hand prints from Newbridge Junior and Penhale Infant Schools, but the staff would love more to flood in to cheer up key workers and children who are being brought in.

Kelley Threadingham, business support manager, said: ‘My aim is to get all the windows at the front of the building completely full. We’re desperate for more, we could do with another 300 really.

‘Kids are still having to come in here so it just gives them something to look for.

‘It puts a smile on our face that there are people out there in the community thinking of us and wanting to contribute. Hopefully by the time this is all over we can be covered in rainbows.’

Rainbow artwork will be gratefully received by the centre and keen artists can send their creations by post to Battenburg Child Development Centre, Battenburg Avenue, Portsmouth, PO2 0TA.

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