Liverpool Waters Volunteering Day – Supporting Claire House: A Day of Care, Community and Connection

At Peel Waters, we’re proud to support the communities around our developments – not just through regeneration, but through meaningful partnerships. One such partnership we are especially proud of is our long-standing relationship with Claire House Children’s Hospice.

Recently, members of the Peel Waters’ Liverpool Waters team spent a day volunteering at Claire House, getting stuck in and seeing first-hand the work the hospice does for families across the region.

A partnership built over time

Claire House, located near Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, provides essential care and support for babies, children and young adults up to the age of 25. Set within five acres of peaceful gardens and woodland, the hospice offers specialist care alongside emotional and therapeutic support, helping families navigate incredibly challenging times with compassion and dignity.

Peel Waters has been proud to support  Claire House for many years through initiatives including the annual Dragon Boat Race, raising £167,766.36 (including Gift Aid)  to support its vital services.

A day volunteering in the grounds

Five members of the Peel Waters team – Chris Capes, Liza Marco, Sophie Holyland, Charlotte Glynn and Yasmin McBrinn – spent the day supporting the hospice grounds team.Splitting into two groups, the team tackled a range of gardening tasks designed to maintain the safe and welcoming outdoor spaces that are so important for children and families. One group focused on clearing weeds from the gardens. The other worked in the orchard, removing dead bluebells and invasive plants.

While the work might sound simple, it plays an important role. As the team learned, dried bluebells can become rigid and pose a risk by catching in the wheels of children’s electric wheelchairs, potentially causing them to get stuck. Removing them helps ensure the outdoor areas remain accessible and safe. Across the day, the team filled around 20 wheelbarrows with weeds, a great effort all round . With only one regular gardening volunteer (who is 80 years old!) the extra support was particularly appreciated.

A place designed with care

After their volunteering, the team were given a tour of the hospice, including its sensory rooms, holistic therapy suites and counselling spaces. Every element of Claire House has been thoughtfully designed to bring comfort, joy and calm, even in the most difficult circumstances. The building itself, originally a monastery dating back to 1906, still holds echoes of its past. Some areas remain to be refurbished, while the surrounding gardens feature a variety of trees – including apples, pears, damsons and walnuts – as well as plants collected from Carmelite monasteries around the world.

Looking to the future

As demand for its services continues to grow, Claire House has submitted plans for a £22 million extension. The proposed development includes:
• Three additional residential rooms to expand 24/7 care capacity
• Enhanced therapy and day care facilities
• A new multi-sensory space

While plans are in place, further funding is needed to bring this expansion to life – making ongoing fundraising initiatives like the Liverpool Waters Dragon Boat Race more important than ever.

Reflections from the day

Reflecting on the experience, Yasmin McBrinn Community Co-Ordinator at Liverpool Waters shared:
“It was such an inspiring day to see the hard work the Claire House team put into looking after children and families in difficult situations. The work they do is incredible and it was a privilege to play a small part in creating a beautiful environment for those children to experience.”

Continuing to support Claire House

The day at Claire House was a good reminder that even small acts of support can have a meaningful impact. Whether through volunteering, fundraising or raising awareness, we remain committed to supporting the hospice and the extraordinary work it does for families across the region. As we look ahead to future events and initiatives, we’re looking forward to continuing our support for Claire House and the work it does.

Running for the 15th Year, The Peel Waters Annual Dragon Boat Race 2026 at Liverpool Waters will take place on Tuesday 1st September with all funds raised being donated to Claire House Hospice. To find out more about the event visit: What’s On – Liverpool Waters