Welcome to The Sussex Snowdrop Trust

We are a unique charity providing ‘Nursing Care at Home’ for local children who have a life-threatening or terminal illness.

Listen to Jenny & Gary Booker's story here

Based in the Chichester area of West Sussex, The Sussex Snowdrop Trust provides:

Children’s Community Nurses

The Children’s Community Nurses support families from the time a child is diagnosed and throughout their illnesses. They visit the children in their homes where they may give medications, change nasal gastric tubes and dressings, take blood samples etc. so that the child/youngster does not have to go to hospital for these interventions. They also  teach and enable parents to have the confidence to  care for their child. The nurses also liaise with other professionals involved in the child’s care.

Health Care Assistants

Support a family by either taking siblings or the Snowdrop child out or playing with them in their own home. This allows a parent some respite or quality time with another child and is a way for children to enjoy a different environment or try some new creative play.

The Snowdrop Counsellors

Our counsellors offer valuable emotional support. They help by befriending and supporting families throughout their child’s illness should it be needed. They also provide bereavement support.

Financial Assistance

The charity helps in any way that can relieve parents of the extra financial problems that occur when a child has a life threatening or terminal illness e.g. household equipment and bills, travelling expenses to hospital and so much more.

Latest News

We’re passionate about what we do, and the events we hold. Here’s some of our most recent news.

Upcoming events

19 Oct

Supercar Track Day at Goodwood Motor Circuit
7 Nov

Snowdrop Coffee Morning
22 Nov

Christmas Market at Grittenham Barn
View all events

New Venture for 2024

This year sees the introduction of a new paediatric nurse at Fordwater School in Chichester.

Fordwater educates children aged from 2 to 19 years who have complex educational and medical needs.

It recently become apparent that extra medical assistance was required to support the school’s current nurse. The Trustees of The Sussex Snowdrop Trust have agreed to fund an additional nurse to join the school.

Snowdrop Founder and Chairman Di Levantine, along with her Trustees, were delighted to meet with Fordwater Head Teacher Sophie Clarke this January and see for themselves how the new addition will benefit the 21 Snowdrop children currently at the school.

Follow us on Instagram @sussexsnowdroptrust

Frequently Asked Questions

How many children do you help?

There are currently 73 local children on the Snowdrop pathway. The Snowdrop pathway is for children who are diagnosed with a life threatening or terminal illness.

We cover Hayling Island, Emsworth, Chichester, Bognor Regis, Selsey, Arundel, Billingshurst, Petworth and Midhurst areas.

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Where does the money go?

About £380,000 is spent annually on direct family care, which includes paying the wages of our special Care at Home Team, as well as the urgent financial requests for equipment or petrol vouchers to support families whose child is receiving treatment in hospital.

Who refers them to Snowdrop?

On diagnosis the Consultant Paediatrician refers the child to the Children’s Community Nursing Team. The family are then contacted and visited by one of the Care at Home Team within 48 hours.

What do the Nurses do?

They support families from the time a child is diagnosed and throughout their illnesses. They visit the children in their homes to teach and enable parents to be confident as they care for their child. The nurses also liaise with other professionals involved in the child’s care.