The Jessie May Trust

...Enabling local terminally ill children and their families to make the most of the precious time they have together.

The Jessie May Trust provides specialist nursing and respite care at home for children with a terminal illness. The service is unique. They are the only organisation in our area to provide specialist nurses and nursery nurses able to provide holistic care for terminally ill children in their own homes, while parents or carers take a break.

Each year 50 families in South Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset and use this vital respite service knowing that the same nurse or nurses will care for their child. These and many more also receive bereavement support – the door is open for them both before and after their child has died.

Your support makes an immediate difference to the lives of local families caring for a terminally ill child and could buy them priceless gifts such as:

Your support helps children like Isaac

Isaac is just 14 months old and is a very happy child, always laughing and smiling. His sunny disposition is all the more remarkable in the light of the physical challenges he faces – he is not able to hold his head up, has impaired vision and hearing and needs constant care and attention. His Mum, who is a single parent, has been forced to give up work to care for Isaac as she needs to be on hand all the time. Isaac is not able to hold anything himself and so relies on his carers for play and stimulation – he loves music and percussion sounds.

Mum says that the fortnightly respite visit she receives from the Jessie May Trust is vitally important to her: “Without it I can’t do the everyday things that people take for granted, like popping to the shop for a pint of milk. The Jessie May service really is a godsend”.

The charity supports around 85 families on average each year- on average 55 families who receive regular respite care and a further 30 who receive regular bereavement support after sadly losing a child. Since the charity began in 1996, they have supported over 140 children and their families.

Through providing regular emotional and practical support, The Jessie May Trust can help families make the most of their precious time.

Thanks to your support, we can help make the most of a child’s precious life.

The Jessie May Trust, (Registered charity no. 1086048) 35 Old School House
Kingswood Foundation Estate, Britannia Road, Kingswood, Bristol. BS15 8DB

Telephone: 0117 961 6840 Email: fundraising@jessiemaytrust.org.uk Website:www.jessiemaytrust.org.uk

The Dragon Boat Race

The day was an excellent day, fun was had by all. Although it was freezing cold, we managed to raise £1,770.66 and because the event was all organised by Zurich, they contributed 50% of the final figure, making it a grand total of £2,655.99.

Here are just some of the pictures of the day, a big thank you to all that was involved.