A Hidden Place Filled with Love: My Visit to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice

Today as part of the Charity of the Year awards I had the opportunity to meet Eleanor and Mandy from the Blue Bell Children’s Hospice one of Doncaster finalist of the charity of the year award.
Tucked away in six peaceful acres of woodland, I found a place that changed how I think about care, compassion, and community Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. From the moment I stepped through the doors, it didn’t feel like a hospice. It felt like walking into someone’s home  a home full of warmth and love.

Bluebell Wood cares for over 350 children and young adults, from newborns to 25-year-olds, right across South Yorkshire and beyond. But what struck me most was that the care here isn’t just for the children it’s for the whole family. Every space, every small detail, is designed to bring families together and to help them make the most of every moment.
There are 54 children’s hospices across the UK, all doing incredible work, but until you see one like Bluebell Wood for yourself, it’s hard to imagine the level of care, dedication, and love that goes into every single day.

Running a place like these costs around £6.7 million a year, and yet it relies almost entirely on fundraising and volunteers. Since COVID, the number of volunteers has sadly dropped by half, but the ones who remain are extraordinary. From gardening and cleaning to helping in the office or supporting families, they give their time and their hearts, and it shows.

Inside, I couldn’t believe how vibrant and full of life the hospice felt. There’s a games room, a soft play area, a cinema room, a sensory room, and even a music room all spaces where families can just be together, sharing laughter and making memories that will last forever.

The bedrooms for the children are simply beautiful calm, softly coloured, and designed to feel comforting and safe. Some even have joining doors so that brothers and sisters with the same life-limiting illness can stay side by side. It’s such a thoughtful touch, but also a heartbreaking reminder that for some families, this is their reality.

I loved seeing the little things that make such a big difference things most of us wouldn’t even think about. There’s a laundry room just for families, so they can do everyday things, like washing clothes, without worrying. For longer stays, it helps them hold onto a sense of normality because sometimes doing something ordinary can mean everything. They also have an amazing bath including lights so that families can experience bath time something that we take for granted everyday.

And then there’s the end-of-life suite a peaceful apartment with a private garden where families can say goodbye in their own time and in their own way. It’s a space filled with love, dignity, and care. The staff handle everything with such tenderness, whether it’s creating memory packs, offering quiet comfort, or simply sitting beside someone who needs to grieve.

Leaving Bluebell Wood, I felt both heartbroken and inspired. Heartbroken because of the reality so many families face but inspired by the love, dedication, and humanity that fills every part of this place.
Bluebell Wood isn’t just a hospice. It’s a reminder of what kindness really looks like. It’s proof that even in the hardest moments, people can create something beautiful a place where love truly lives.