- Patron Holly Willoughby launched the week with personal video message
- Close friend to the charity & Patron Simon Cowell pledged his support with special video
- Peter Andre ‘drops in’ to Children’s Hospice via Zoom
- England and Chelsea footballer Mason Mount auctions off boots and football to his nearly 1 million Instagram followers
- Patrons and celebs from the world of entertainment including Louise Redknapp, Melanie Sykes, Rebecca Front and Strictly stars joined forces to appeal to their fans to support their local Children’s Hospice
Celebrities from across the worlds of entertainment, music, drama and sport have this week pledged their support for Children’s Hospice Week – the one week in the calendar dedicated to celebrating the work of the 54 Children’s Hospices across the UK, and the families they support.
The campaign kicked off on 22 July with a personal video message from celebrity patron Holly Willoughby. Holly said: “As patron of Together for Short Lives, I’ve seen for myself what incredible support children’s hospices give to families going through the unimaginable. Children’s hospices have been going above and beyond in these extraordinary times, providing lifeline support to some of the UK’s most vulnerable and isolated children.”
Coronavirus has changed all of our lives, but for families caring for a seriously ill child, they feel more alone than ever. Social isolation has taken its toll and families are exhausted after months of providing 24/7 care for their child at home. Many families will carry on shielding long after social distancing ends, leaving families feeling more isolated and lost. These children and families desperately need the support of their local children’s hospice service and vital hospice at home services.
Celebrity support has been welcomed by the 54 children’s hospices and families, as their support across social media platforms helps to raise the profile of the often misunderstood world of children’s palliative care and Children’s Hospices.
In his video message for Children’s Hospice Week Simon Cowell declared: “I can tell you, the work they do is actually quite incredible.” Simon Cowell is Patron and a long-time supporter of Together for Short Lives, hosting an annual ball to help support the charity’s work.
On Wednesday Peter Andre, Patron of Together for Short Lives and Chestnut Tree House hospice in Sussex dropped in to speak to two families and a member of the hospice care team via a special Zoom call.
Peter spoke to children Loui and Izzy as well as their families who are supported by the hospice. Speaking after the video call, Peter said: “I want to say thank you to all the hospices up and down the country that are helping support families. I’m so proud to be a Patron of Chestnut Tree House and Together for Short Lives.”
England and Chelsea footballer and charity supporter Mason Mount is auctioning off a signed match-day ball and boots to his nearly 1 million Instagram followers, meanwhile singer-songwriter Louise Redknapp told her 136k Twitter followers: “Coronavirus has changed all of our lives, but for the UK’s most vulnerable and isolated children, they have never needed their children’s hospice more.”
Together for Short Lives’ Ambassadors Rebecca Front and Richard Jones, and strictly stars Ola and James Jordan and presenter Melanie Sykes joined together to encourage their social media followers to support their local children’s hospice during Children’s Hospice Week and beyond: “Please support your local children’s hospice today.”
Andy Fletcher, CEO of Together for Short Lives said:
“We are enormously grateful to all of our Patrons and celebrity friends for their support throughout Children’s Hospice Week. Life is very hard right now for families with seriously ill children. They have been shielding for months, caring 24/7 for their children. For them to see some of their favourite celebrities fundraising for and supporting this special week is a real boost at a very difficult time. We can’t thank our Patrons, Ambassadors and celebrity friends enough.”