Wednesday 30 March 2011

Safety measures

Accidents happen in every home and with 55 children and 30 staff, Sue is not taking any chances, writes Elizabeth Gomm.
She asked volunteer nurses Julia Durham and Hayley Barber to prepare a simple first aid course to teach to all the staff.
And so with Laura and Scott Webster, Chris Goddard and myself on hand to look after things in the baby banda, the staff were, yesterday, organised into groups for the first of the courses.
For the outside staff, handyman Gibson translated to ensure that nothing was lost on those whose English is not as good.
Each of the first three groups who had their course yesterday understood and appreciated the potentially life-saving lessons, including baby CPR, choking, bleeding, burns, dehydration, fractures, falls and early warning signs of other problems.
Stanley Park, our empathy doll on loan from Doncaster College, was a useful model for bandaging etc!
Before they leave they will put together all the items they used in their demonstrations which will be kept in and easily accessible place.
We have, of course, always had first aid arrangements but having Julia and Hayley with us is a chance to ensure that everyone has a good idea of how to cope in an emergency.
Time to go
It's going to be a tough day for me today  as my month at the Happy House draws to a close.
I have had a real chance to help Sue, who is always so busy and who works so hard. 
It has been my pleasure to assist and it is a real joy and a privilege to be a part of such a special family and to know that they love me as much as I love them.
When I leave Kenya early tomorrow, the piece of my heart won by the children I saw living rough in bush on my first visit here, which now seems so long ago, will remain in the safe keeping of our Happy House kids and, I hope, it will not be too long before I come back to claim it!