19 March 2026

Young patients on Ward 21 at Darlington Memorial Hospital are benefiting from a new piece of sensory equipment thanks to support from CDDFT charitable funds.

The ward has recently received the Rhino Sensory Voyager, a portable sensory unit that offers a calming combination of colour, sound and touch to help create a more supportive environment for children during their hospital stay.

The portable nature of the Rhino Sensory Voyager costing just over £5600, means it can be easily moved around the ward, allowing staff to tailor the sensory environment to individual patient needs.

Gill Manning, Health Play Specialist said “This is an essential resource which allows patients to have a sensory experience at their bed space. It uses light, touch & sound which helps to calm our patients during their stay and helps to distract them too."

Ward staff say the equipment will make a significant difference in helping children feel more relaxed and better able to cope with changes to their usual routines while receiving care.

Donna Knight, Health Play Specialist said: "The Rhino Sensory Voyager helps neurodiverse children who are out of routine cope with challenging situations. The size of the unit helps to be able to move it around to allow access to all of its functions. We have been really lucky to gain such an asset to the ward and provide such support for the children and families."

Rich Jones, Charity Manager said: “Staff on the ward regularly care for neurodivergent children, who can find hospital environments overwhelming due to changes in routine and heightened sensory experiences.

“The new equipment will help the team create a calming and engaging sensory space to support these children.”

The purchase was made possible through charitable funds, which support projects and equipment that enhance the experience of patients and their families across the Trust.

The charity plays an important role in helping to enhance care and improve the experience of patients, visitors and staff. Through the generosity of local people, donations help fund additional equipment, improvements to hospital environments and projects. Every contribution helps make a real difference to services and the charity warmly encourages anyone who is able to consider supporting its work.