Together for Short Lives is celebrating a major milestone with long-term partner Center Parcs, which has now raised over £2.2 million to fund essential care and support, so that seriously ill children and their families can cherish every moment they have together.
Since the partnership began in 2016, Center Parcs colleagues and guests have gone above and beyond to raise vital funds for children’s hospices across the UK – from running the London Marathon to conquering the Three Peaks challenge, to hosting auctions, quiz nights and ‘all in a day’ fundraising events.
They have also donated their time and skills by volunteering at their local children’s hospices, including renovating sensory gardens and using their specialist skills to help fix and maintain hydrotherapy pools, as well as treating parents to their award-winning spa treatments at the hospice.
Creating treasured family memories
For families caring for a seriously ill child, time is precious and every moment counts. Through our Family Support Hub, Center Parcs has gifted 150 families with special breaks at its UK villages – offering the chance for families to create special memories.
One family who enjoyed a gifted break was Leia’s. Leia lives with a rare form of mitochondrial disease. Together with her parents Katie and Tom, and brothers Dylan and Robin, Leia stayed at Center Parcs Woburn village where she enjoyed a boat trip, swimming, picnics in the woods and more.
Mum Katie said: “I’m very conscious that we don’t know how long we have with Leia, so being able to make really lovely memories that are filled with joy is really important, for both Leia and her siblings. So much of normal life is taken away from you when your child is seriously ill. We’re constantly going in and out of hospital with Leia, or we’re emailing or calling different services. To have these opportunities to be part of a community and make memories as a family – it’s so special.”
Colin McKinlay, Chief Executive of Center Parcs, said: “Spending time together and creating precious memories is at the heart of everything we do at Center Parcs. This is particularly important for families caring for children with life-limiting conditions, whose time together can be heartbreakingly short.
“We’re immensely proud of our ongoing partnership with Together for Short Lives and the incredible children’s hospices they support across the UK – and we’re thrilled to have now raised £2.2 million for this vital cause. Our guests and colleagues have shown phenomenal commitment and generosity, and we look forward to building on this achievement, raising even more funds, and welcoming many more families to our villages to make their own precious memories.”
We’re so thankful to Center Parcs for their unwavering commitment to seriously ill children and their families. For many of these families, holidays are a rarity when providing 24/7 care to a child with a life-limiting condition, so having the chance to spend quality time together is truly precious. This is where our partnership makes such a powerful difference – families can be supported by their local children’s hospice and make special memories at Center Parcs villages.
Nick Carroll, Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives
To have raised £2.2 million for children’s hospices is an incredible achievement, and we can’t wait for our partnership to continue to bring comfort, joy and unforgettable moments to families when they need them most. On behalf of everyone at Together for Short Lives and children’s hospices – thank you, Center Parcs!
