Earlier this month TV stars Sarah Parish and James Murray were special guests at Barnet-based Noah's Ark children's hospice, where their charitable foundation, the Murray Parish Trust, is funding drama therapy sessions for sick children.
Noah's Ark CEO Sophie Andrews (centre) welcomes James Murray and Sarah Parish to the Ark
When they visited on 13th January, Sarah Parish and James Murray were shown round Noah's Ark children's hospice by its CEO, Sophie Andrews OBE, fundraising and communications director Philip Roethenbaugh, and senior philanthropy director Gary Taylor. Funding for 300 drama therapy sessions at the hospice is being provided by the Murray Parish Trust, which Sarah and James set up after their daughter Ella-Jayne died from a congenital heart defect in 2009 when she was eight months old. Since 2014, The Trust has directed over £4 million to innovative projects which transform the future of children’s healthcare and are committed to supporting the mental health of children that are seriously unwell – and their families.
Sarah explains the couple's motivation for setting up the trust: ‘When our darling little Ella-Jayne was in intensive care for four months, we witnessed first-hand the unmet need for emotional and psychological support for both children and their loved ones. If the mounting trauma of having or being a seriously ill child isn’t properly processed with professional help, it can have devastating consequences in the long term. The Murray Parish Trust exists because it is vital there is help at hand for these families in their darkest hours.’
Sarah Parish meets Pasha Wild, drama and music therapist at Noah's Ark
Pasha Wild, the drama and movement therapist at Noah's Ark, works with children, assessing and addressing their specific needs and issues and working through them using drama, play and movement. Pasha explains the theory behind drama therapy:
‘Drama therapy is a rehearsal space for life, it’s an opportunity for a young person to have a safe, secure place where they can get things wrong, where they can struggle, they can practice their lines ,if they want to and rehearse difficult situations. They can say things to people in a therapeutic space that they wouldn’t necessarily feel safe saying to someone in the real world. I often talk about the different parts of ourselves because we all play characters. We all hold our sadness, our fear, our anger and our joy and all of those parts of ourselves will look different for different people. Drama therapy is a place where a child can step outside of their life, explore different parts of themselves and where they can untangle and unpick things in a way that’s helpful for them.’
During their visit to the hospice Sarah and James also met Christina Lucas-Dodsworth and her two sons, Arthur Lucas, aged 1, and Joseph Dodsworth, aged 9, from Northwood. When Arthur was born, he was quickly transferred to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and his parents, Christina and Jack, were told that Arthur had severe Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) and was unlikely to survive coming off a ventilator. In March 2023 the family were referred to Noah’s Ark and thankfully Arthur’s condition became less critical. In May 2023 his clinicians re-evaluated his pathway and his do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order was reversed.
James Murray and Sarah Parish meet Christina Lucas-Dodsworth with her two children, Arthur and Joseph. Joseph, the older child, has benefited greatly from drama therapy funded by James and Sarah's charitable foundation
Arthur attends the Tunes and Tales drama and music group for young children, while his brother Joseph has had extensive drama therapy with Pasha to address some of the issues that siblings of children who are seriously unwell often face. Christina says that after the drama therapy Joseph's behaviour changed: ‘His school noticed that after the sessions with Pasha he was actually able to start opening up to his teachers and to verbalise what was on his mind, saying things like "Arthur's in hospital today" or "I'm feeling a bit worried". When we told Joseph his little brother might not be here that long, it was a very difficult conversation to have. The doctors were very supportive in trying to explain the situation to him, but he knew where the conversation was heading, and he'd redirect it. Now, after the session with Pasha, he’s much more comfortable talking about these things. I think drama therapy is good at tackling the prospect of loss and it's definitely helpful for a child that doesn't want to do the talking, and at that age it is probably just far too much.’
Sarah and James also took the time to hear about some of the challenges that the children’s palliative care sector is facing: uncertainty over the future of the Children’s Hospice Grant and a steep rise in National Insurance contributions. Only 17% of Noah's Ark's income comes from the grant, the rest is raised through voluntary donations to meet current running costs of the hospice ,which currently stand at approximately £18,000 per day.
Sarah Parish MBE said: ‘Visiting the Ark was an incredibly moving experience. Seeing firsthand the difference drama therapy makes to children and families facing unimaginable challenges only reinforces why this work is so important. At the Murray Parish Trust, we are proud to fund 300 drama therapy sessions at Noah’s Ark, knowing that these moments of connection, expression, and healing can bring light to even the darkest days.’
Christina Lucas-Dodsworth said: ‘It was a real pleasure to meet Sarah and James and for them to meet Arthur and Joseph. Joseph has really benefitted from drama therapy, and their kind gift will help so many other children and families that Noah’s Ark supports.’
Sophie Andrews OBE, CEO of Noah's Ark children's hospice, said: ‘We were delighted to welcome Sarah and James to the Ark and are incredibly grateful for their gift of 300 drama therapy sessions for our children and families. Drama therapy is an often undervalued but vital resource to help children and families come to terms with the dramatic changes that having a child who is seriously unwell can bring. It’s especially helpful for siblings of children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions to help sort through emotions that children can often find overwhelming.’
Noah’s Ark children’s hospice helps babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, and their families, make the most of every day. The charity supports those who die young to do so in as much comfort as possible, surrounded by family. By providing exceptional care, organising fun activities and days out, Noah’s Ark helps families do things they never thought possible. They help those they support to enjoy life as children, rather than as patients; as families, not just as carers.
The hospice is based in Barnet and welcomes the referrals of babies, children and young people who meet their acceptance criteria and who live in the boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington or Hertsmere. Noah’s Ark’s costs are currently around £6m per annum to provide essential services to babies, children and young people who are seriously unwell and their families.
