Center Parcs announces four-year charity partnership extension with Together for Short Lives to support seriously ill children and their families cared for by Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice.
Leading short break provider Center Parcs has extended its charity partnership with Together for Short Lives, the UK’s leading children’s palliative care charity, for four more years.
The partnership, which began in 2016, has so far raised over £1.7m for the 99,000 children living with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families in the UK. The funds raised have given vital support to the UK’s 54 children’s hospices in the UK, including Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice.
As well as match-funding donations made by guests when making bookings, Center Parcs colleagues have been taking on their own fundraising challenges across its five villages in England – Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, as well as at their Head Office in Nottinghamshire. Each village is partnered with their local children’s hospice for fundraising and volunteering, ensuring colleagues can make a difference in their own communities. From running the London Marathon to holding duck races, hosting auctions to ‘all in a day’ fundraisers, colleagues have been doing all they can to raise vital funds for families caring for a seriously ill child.
Colleagues have also been supporting their local children’s hospice directly and helping to make a difference. At Jigsaw, this has included taking part in fundraising events such as Bikes Boats Boots and donating items to staff and patients.
Center Parcs has also helped bereaved families and those caring for a seriously ill child have the chance to get away and make memories together. Working with Together for Short Lives’ Family Support Hub, which offers practical, emotional, and financial support to families, Center Parcs has gifted over 100 breaks at its villages to families across the UK.
Kate Allison, Team Lead at Jigsaw, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the news that Center Parcs is continuing its incredible support for Together for Short Lives and therefore, us here at Jigsaw. By supporting their local children’s hospice, the team at Center Parcs are helping us to continue caring for local children and young adults with life-limiting illnesses.
“The time the children and young people spend at Jigsaw helps them make memories that will last a lifetime and we’re really grateful Center Parcs can support us to do that going forward.”
Glen Franklin, Village Director at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest, said: “We’re thrilled to be extending our partnership with Together for Short Lives. The team at Whinfell Forest really value being able to make a difference to local families through our partnership with Jigsaw, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work together over the next four years.”
