What is the AF Foundation? The AF Foundation, set up by Andrew and Rachael Flintoff, is a children’s charity that raises funds to build, develop and improve Child Rehabilitation & Physiotherapy Units throughout the UK. Why do you exist? The Rehabilitation & Physiotherapy Departments within many of the children’s hospital’s across the UK are often overlooked when it comes to funding, yet it is these units that are used by virtually every child on their journey to recovery. Most of these hospitals have highly skilled, specialised rehabilitation teams, but unfortunately the existing facilities from which they carry out their work, do not match this expertise. Facilities are tired and outdated, and provide a clinical rather than child-friendly environment in which to treat their young patients. Equipment is basic and some in desperate need of replacement.
What’s your mission?
Our mission is to:
• redesign and refurbish existing units
• make them warm, child-friendly areas
• supply state-of-the-art equipment that benefits both children and staff
• maintain units once they are setup
We are working closely with specialised rehabilitation teams, consultants and patients, to create and refine a blueprint ‘AF Child Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Unit.’
This blueprint will be replicated and implemented thoughout children’s hospitals all over the UK.
What’s your first project?
We first need to design and develop a blueprint ‘AF Child Rehabilitation & Physiotherapy Unit’. We have chosen to work with The Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in order to achieve this.
Alder Hey in Liverpool is one of the largest children’s hospitals in Europe, treating more than 200,000 children a year. Repected worldwide, Alder Hey’s vast experience and knowledge are vital to our success. It is within their hospital that we will develop and refine our blueprint, thus creating the first of many ‘AF Child Rehabilitation & Physiotherapy Units’.
