North-east charity Charlie House is calling on the local community to share cherished festive memories as part of its Christmas appeal to raise vital funds to help children live as full lives as possible.
The appeal raises awareness of the importance of making special memories for children and their families which is all the more important for children with life-limiting conditions.
For most families, Christmas is a time for celebration, but for families with children who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, it can be an incredibly difficult time. The relentless medical routines don’t stop for Christmas - there is little breathing space and families can often find it difficult to manage with the extra demands.
Leigh Ryrie, family and children services manager at Charlie House, explains: “Christmas can be a difficult time for the families we support. It can be one of mixed emotions. For some families, it is just another day as Christmas can be too overwhelming while balancing the needs of a child with a complex health condition.
“For other families Charlie House supports, their child may be in hospital over the Christmas period without their friends or family. It may be their first Christmas without a child or, unknowingly, their child’s last Christmas. Charlie House exists to help families navigate these difficult times.
“We’re asking the North-east community to show solidarity with the families we support by sharing their Christmas memories on our special virtual wall and donating less than the price of gingerbread latte, or pack of Christmas cards, to help us continue our work supporting families when they need us most.
“The memories we’re asking the community to share can be happy, sad, a favourite tradition, a funny moment, a Christmas tree ruined by the family pet, or a moment with a loved one that has a special place in your heart.”
Leigh adds: “At Charlie House, however, memories are not just for Christmas. We’re committed to creating memories for families to cherish all year round. We do this through our accessible activities, which have included surfing in Lossiemouth, visits to Jump-In, music therapy sessions, to name just a few. Our activities are invaluable to the families we support because we take care of every detail, meaning they don’t need to worry about changing facilities, suitability, or entry fees. All they need to do is focus on getting there and enjoying time together as a family. Your kindness can help Charlie House make memories all year round.”
Funds raised from this community-led appeal will support initiatives including bereavement support groups for parents, one-to-one support sessions and resources to help siblings cope with loss and understand their emotions, as well as accessible children’s activities designed to create lasting memories.
To share your festive memory and donate to the appeal, please visit: https://www.charliehouse.org.uk/memory-wall