TY HAFAN, the family hospice for young lives, has recently received a kind donation of a special PlayDuvet to be enjoyed by babies and children in its play room.

Jane Creed, Outreach Play Practitioner for Ty Hafan, said: "Play is a very important element of the palliative care that is provided by the hospice; particularly floor play which is important for children who have very limited mobility.

"The new PlayDuvet will provide a comfortable floor space for the babies and children to enjoy."

Nicola Osgood from Cowbridge invented the PlayDuvet when her own daughter started to move and outgrew her baby gym at just four months old.

Having nothing but hard wood floors she and her husband, James, had nowhere safe to put their baby down and nowhere they could comfortably play and interact with her face-to-face.

With nothing suitable on the market Nicola came up with the idea of using a standard double duvet with a cover designed specifically to stimulate child development.

"We launched PlayDuvet a year ago at The Baby Show at Earl's Court and the donation to Ty Hafan is part of our first birthday celebrations," said Nicola.

"I knew as soon as we had a product to bring to market that I wanted to donate one to the hospice as soon as I could - I really thought it would be useful for them but I had no idea how thrilled they would be and it was great to be able to take my daughter, Lily, with me and to share a birthday cake with all the children.

"Ty Hafan is an incredible place and we are very proud and lucky to have it in our area."

In the first year of the business, PlayDuvets have been sold right across the UK and even as far as Australia and America, into private homes as well as nurseries, and in June this year it won a Loved By Parents award for Best Gift for a New Mum/Dad.

Ty Hafan's new PlayDuvet is in the main play area of the hospice for all the children and their families to enjoy.

Jane continued: "It's wonderful that Nicola has donated a PlayDuvet to us and I'm sure it will be used daily by babies and older children while at the hospice."