This month our colleagues in the Community Healthcare Division have been celebrating their own Wellbeing Month.

As part of this, Wellbeing Advisor Sam Lindl, Quest Team Leader Emma Vant, and her daughter, Katie, have been visiting our community colleagues with Violet, a Goldendoodle therapy dog. 

Emma and Violet volunteer with Therapy Dogs Nationwide, and violet is one of seven dogs we have registered to CHFT. Our other canine friends include Daisy, Nellie, Charlie, Freddie, Pi and Rocco.

Violet visited teams at Grange Dean in Mytholmroyd, Allan House in Sowerby Bridge, Brighouse Health Centre and Westgate House in Halifax.

The teams were thrilled to be visited by Violet. Sam said: "Violet brought so much pleasure to the teams. She was so well behaved and affectionate and brought a smile to the faces of all.

"She went down so well that people have requested visits on a weekly basis, along with a request for departments to have their own animals; fish, cats, hamsters and even a budgie was requested."

Volunteer Services Lead, Stevie Cheesman, said: "Pets as Therapy is a wonderful service, and more than 50 individual requests have been made. The service also supports recurring visits to patients in Paediatrics and the Rainbow Community Hub and elderly wards, as well as staff wellbeing visits to support staff morale."

Pets as Therapy volunteers have also been incorporated into the newly launched Children and Young People Strategy, as the benefits from this service include:

• Making people happier, lessening depression and improving outlook
• Decreasing loneliness and isolation
• Reducing boredom
• Reducing anxiety
• Helping children learn empathic and nurturing skills
• Treating physical health conditions such as pain
• Helping people with dementia and similar conditions

To book a visit please email stevie.cheesman@cht.nhs.uk or complete this booking form.