PIONEERING East Oxford children's hospice Helen and Douglas House has welcomed four women who will take key roles at the two houses.

A new chaplain, head of family support and bereavement, nurse consultant and head of care have been appointed at the charity, based between Magdalen Road and Leopold Street in East Oxford.

Helen House was the world's first children's hospice when it opened in 1982, and Douglas House, which opened in 2004, was the first hospice to cater for young adults.

Head of care Liz Leigh, who has taken over from Angela Wilkinson, worked as a paediatric oncology outreach nurse specialist in Oxford for 18 years.

She said: “I am looking forward to a new challenge in this post and working within this great organisation and with the families and care teams.”

Chaplain the Rev Rachel Weir said: “I am available to families and guests what-ever their beliefs for conversation and support.”

She was previously curate at St Peter’s Church, Wolvercote and then Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry.

Counselling psychologist Shahina Haque has worked in the NHS and voluntary sector as a bereavement counsellor.

Miss Haque said: “My role here is to provide the space and support to enable parents to understand and make meaning of their current situation and to let go, not of the child, but of the pain.”

Karen Brombley’s role as nursing consultant is new for the two houses. She will help co-ordinate care for children who are seen by different healthcare professionals. She said: “This role supports high quality care wherever the child is.”