Earlier today, local MP for Carshalton and Wallington, Elliot Colburn, made a quick COVID-secure visit to the Oak Centre for Children and Young People at The Royal Marsden to make a donation of books to the unit.
Thanks to the Publishers Association, the member organisation for UK publishing representing companies of all sizes and specialisms, Elliot called briefly at the The Royal Marsden this afternoon to donate a bundle of books, including titles such as A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll, The Ickabog by J.K Rowling and Will You Be My Friend by Sam McBratney.
The Publishers Association is passionate about the capacity for books and reading to make life better for people, and I was very grateful to them for providing me with the books to donate to a charity of my choice.
We all know how busy Dame Cally Palmer, Chief Executive of The Royal Marsden, and her entire team are at the moment, so Elliot didn't want to take up more than a few minutes of their valuable time, however it was a pleasure to chat briefly with Becky Padbury, Clinical Matron for Children and Young People, and Ellie Bateman, Divisional Director of Cancer Services, about the hugely important work they do to provide care for children and young people at the Oak Centre.
The Royal Marsden is one of the finest cancer hospitals in the world, and Elliot met earlier in the year with Dame Cally to hear about the unit as well as the hospital’s experiences during lockdown.
The Oak Centre is an amazing place - with fantastic spaces for children and young people to play and relax away from their treatment, whilst also providing respite for their families - we are so lucky to have it on our doorstep, and we will continue to be a champion of all that they do.
#ItMustBeMarsden
