The Iain Rennie Hospice At Home hosted a reception to celebrate the achievements of Heather Philpotts, the first Pepper Paediatric Nurse, who has left the IRHH as her family has moved from the area. The reception, which was held on Thursday 27th February at the Hospice At Home's offices in Tring, was attended by colleagues past and present, and trustees from the IRHH and The Pepper Foundation which has provided funding for the pioneering nursing service for children with life limiting illnesses since it started.

The IRHH's Director of Nursing, Sue Varvel, paid tribute to Heather's nursing skills and for her dedication to successfully establishing a completely new service for children and families in the area. Heather joined the Iain Rennie Hospice At Home as the first Pepper Paediatric Nurse in 1994 with funding from The Pepper Foundation. As the need for the combination of specialist nursing skills and respite support grew over the ensuing years, additional nurses were recruited, with funding from Pepper and Children In Need, to establish the current team of 5 nurses and a Play Therapist which Heather led.

Linda Horsfall from The Pepper Foundation thanked Heather for developing the model of care which has been greatly appreciated by ever-increasing numbers of children and their families who turn to the IRHH Pepper Team for specialist help and support to enable them to care for children with a wide range of life threatening illnesses.

Sonya O'Leary will be joining the IRHH as the new Paediatric Team Leader in April.