Family donates book library to Winchester neonatal unit to promote developmental benefits of reading

Neonatal babies at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital can now benefit from a huge book library thanks to effort and donations from parents Matt Taylor and Claire Andrews following the birth of their daughter Poppy.

In February 2023, Poppy was born at the Winchester hospital via emergency caesarean, unfortunately suffering from severe brain damage following pregnancy complications.

During the family’s weeks in neonatal care, Matt and Claire were encouraged to read to Poppy as much as possible to stimulate brain development and promote recovery.

To give back and to support future neonatal babies at the hospital, the pair took to creating ‘Poppy’s Library’ inside the unit - a collection of around 100 children’s stories mounted across two wall racks for families to use.

Matt Taylor said: "We found that reading to Poppy helped us to form a bond with her and gave us a proactive role to play in her recovery, as well as a sense of normality in this overwhelming situation. Not only did the reading help with Poppy's development, but we found it really hopeful to have something to focus on rather than ruminating on the uncertainty.

Claire Andrews added: “We felt that creating a library on the neonatal unit would be a great way of giving something back, as well as providing other parents with a selection of books to read to their little ones. We hope that it gives them the same sense of calm and purpose that we had when reading to Poppy.”

When books are read from ‘Poppy’s Library’, parents in the unit are encouraged to record their baby’s name inside the cover with the aim of helping families feel connected to one another as a form of reassurance.

Raewyn Twaddle, clinical matron of Winchester’s neonatal service at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says: “Reading to neonates is incredibly important for so many reasons – not only does it improve their neurodevelopment but it also helps to strengthen the bond between parent and baby through voice.

“We are incredibly grateful that Claire and Matt have donated this amazing library through our charity and know that it will help to support many families here with us in the future.”

To build the library, the Matt and Claire donated funds to Hampshire Hospitals Charity who were able to purchase the books as well as receive contributions from a local nursery.