County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has become the first organisation in the North East to receive Sophie’s Legacy Approved Hospital recognition, marking changes designed to make hospital stays better for children and their families.
The Trust is only the third organisation nationally to achieve the status. The recognition follows its introduction of three commitments across children’s services: providing meals for parents who stay overnight with their child, offering an up-to-date menu designed specifically for children, and making Play Specialist support available seven days a week.
Three changes for children and families
The recognition is linked to the wishes of Sophie Fairall, who spent much of her final year in hospital receiving treatment for a rare childhood cancer. Before her death in September 2021, aged 10, Sophie identified three improvements she wanted to see for children and families facing hospital stays.
Sophie wanted children in hospital to receive better food, parents staying alongside their children to have access to meals, and Play Specialists to be available every day of the week. Her mother, Charlotte Fairall, has since worked through Sophie’s Legacy with hospitals and national organisations to put those wishes into practice.
At County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, parents staying overnight with their child are now provided with meals. A dedicated children’s menu, formally introduced in March 2026, offers child-friendly choices during hospital stays.
The Trust has also established seven-day Play Specialist provision. The service supports children as they understand treatment, prepare for procedures and cope with being in hospital.
Menu developed with families’ feedback
The children’s menu took about 12 months to develop and implement. The Trust says continuing feedback from children and families is being used to improve the choices available.
The work brought together staff from Children’s Services, Play Specialists, Catering and Facilities. It builds on wider improvements by the Trust’s Catering Service, which prepares around 18,000 meals from scratch each week across the organisation.
Teams carry out weekly food tasting to monitor quality and consistency. The Trust has also achieved NHS England Catering Exemplar Site status, recognising its approach to high-quality, patient-focused catering.
Recognition presented at two hospitals
The Sophie’s Legacy recognition was formally presented at University Hospital of North Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital.
Stuart Wray, CDDFT’s Head of Facilities for Catering, Retail and Food Safety, said the changes were intended to make hospital less difficult for children and families. He said staff from Catering, Children’s Nursing and the Play Team had worked together to embed all three commitments across the services.
“We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition because ultimately it is about making hospital a little easier for children and their families at what can be a very difficult time.”
Charlotte Fairall said practical measures such as meals for parents, food children want to eat and daily access to a Play Specialist could make a significant difference during an extremely difficult period.
“I’m delighted to recognise County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust for making these commitments and helping us continue Sophie’s legacy.”
Sophie was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer, in September 2020, aged nine. After intensive treatment, she relapsed and died in September 2021.
Stuart Wray said Sophie’s proposed changes were practical and important, with the potential to make a lasting difference to thousands of families. The Trust’s recognition means those commitments are now being delivered through its children’s services.