Model and Celebrity Big Brother favourite Casey Batchelor came up for a visit on Friday 20 November and met with some of our children and staff.

The Essex star had a tour of the hospice, its Holistic Care Centre, the grounds and also our new refurbished playground which has been given a £20,000 makeover courtesy of generous grants from DHL UK Foundation and the Property Professionals Breakfast Club.

The playground has a new all-weather surface which means it can be used for longer periods in late spring and early autumn. It also features a new wheelchair swing which was generously funded by the Property Professionals Breakfast Club.

Getting outdoors and playing in the fresh air is important for our children who use Haven House as it can help with their development and enjoyment. There is often a lack of suitable disability space in urban areas where many of our children live and very few playgrounds will have a wheelchair swing.

Speaking of her tour of the hospice Casey said: “I was delighted to visit Haven House and see the amazing work they do in caring for life-limited children.

“It was a real privilege to meet the children and to learn from staff about the different ways Haven House provides support to families.

“I found the experience moving but also inspirational and I look forward to continuing to promote the important work of the hospice in any way that I can.”

Mike Palfreman, Chief Executive of Haven House, said: “It was great to see Casey at Haven House and I was very impressed with her enthusiasm and passion for our case.

“She spent considerable time at the hospice and really wanted to know about the full range of services that we offer for life-limited children and their families.

“Our celebrity supporters play a crucial role in helping to raise awareness of Haven House and we always appreciate their time and commitment.”