JJ&A’S CLOSE TIES TO WILTSHIRE CHARITY
Julia’s House Children’s Hospice is a charity close to Jane James and Associates and especially to our Director of Operations Luci Lloyd’s heart.
As a paediatric nurse who has dealt with caring for children with complex neurological and life-limiting conditions, Luci has first-hand experience of the difference a charity like Julia’s House makes to those children and their families. She also understands the challenges these charities face with financial and other types of support.
That’s why JJ&A are proud Julia’s House Business Club members - showing our commitment and support for the charity and our wider local community.
BACKGROUND
Julia's House Children’s Hospices - the dream of paediatric nurse, Julia Perks - provides clinical, practical and emotional support for families caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition, providing frequent and regular support in their own homes, in the community and at their hospices.
Julia identified the need for practical help, and respite care and dreamed that a stand-alone establishment would be created for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Sadly, Julia died before the first centre hospice was opened but Julia’s great friend Mike Wise, kept her dream alive as he raised the funds to build and open the first children’s hospice in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, followed more recently by a second children’s hospice in Devizes, Wiltshire.
A whopping 92% of funding that the charity receives comes from donations from the local community and the support of local businesses and Julia’s House Business Club members. The charity receives just 8% government funding.
A WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Chatting recently with Julia’s House Business Development and Corporate Fundraiser, Jo Common, she explained what it means to have the support of Business Club members like Jane James and Associates.
“Having a regular income from our Business Club members helps give us the confidence to plan for the future, and know that a family struggling to care for a seriously ill child can access the life-changing support that Julia’s House offers. It allows us to get on and do what we do!
At Julia’s House, we wrap our arms around the whole family, not just the child who is ill. We offer around 200 hours of free respite care per year, for each child, alongside dedicated sibling and family support workers and carers. The care is provided in the child’s home, at one of our children’s hospices, or out and about in the community.
We want to ensure every family that comes to us gets the care they need - which is why local business support is so important. We never want to have to turn a child away for financial reasons, yet we rely on donations and fundraising for 92 per cent of the money we need, and our costs continue to rise each year.
That’s why our Business Club members are crucial and why we like to develop strong relationships with the caring local businesses who, in turn, give us the security of knowing that their support is always there.”
Jo’s love for fundraising started in 2004 when she joined Bath's Hospital Charity. Little did she realise, at the time that a two-week job would result in her still being there over 17 years later!
She joined the Wiltshire team at Julia's House in 2021 to “Work with wonderful local businesses that understand the importance of the respite care we provide, working closely with them to build tailored partnerships. As a fundraiser, I get a real buzz from getting to know and working closely with our supporters!”
HOW JJ&A GOT INVOLVED
We wanted to show our commitment and support for our community by helping local charity, Julia’s House Children’s Hospices. As we’ve already said, they were the natural choice as they are a charity close to our hearts.
We sent our first donation in 2020 and were contacted by Julia’s House to see if we would like to support the charity in other ways. Of course, the answer was yes and since then we have taken part in their walking challenges over recent years, and in the Spring of 2022, we became Business Club members.
Last Christmas, we sponsored the full cost of running the Santa Train for families and children and this year, we have pledged to support the Christmas Tree Recycling Project in Devizes, Pewsey and Marlborough - three days in January where Julia’s House head out in vans with volunteers to collect Christmas trees and donations for doing so.
JOINING THE BUSINESS CLUB
If - like us - you would like to support this wonderful charity, make a difference in the community and meet your corporate and social responsibility obligations - getting involved couldn’t be easier.
The Business Club requires a monthly donation that recognises your commitment to Julia’s House and your local community. All they ask is a minimum commitment of £100 a month (+VAT) – over a year that would add up to a fun-filled six-hour play session at one of their hospices for up to six children.
We gain so much from supporting Julia’s House and thoroughly recommend becoming a Business Club member (you can find the benefits of joining on the Julia’s House Website https://www.juliashouse.org/how-you-can-help/corporate-support) and gain an insight into the work they do by watching the video below.
WILTSHIRE HOSPICE TOUR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsVabfNfIcQ
