A Warwickshire charity has marked ten years of supporting parents with child bereavement by holding one of its biggest fundraising events.
Freddie’s Wish, which was formed by Charlotte Jolliffe after she lost her 13-month-old son in a tragic car accident, recently generated nearly £22,000 from its Summer Ball at Coombe Abbey recently.
The inspirational mom is now reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to bridging the crucial bereavement support gap that had plagued families in the UK for decades, as well as extending its paediatric life-saving training to schools and pre-schools.
“The charity has grown more than I could have ever imagined,” explained Charlotte Jolliffe, who received a BBC ‘Make a Difference Award’ in 2023.
“From my own experiences awakening me to the big holes in support in these areas and then growing the charity to support over 400 families across 40 counties is the most incredible legacy for Freddie and I couldn’t be more proud!”
She continued: “Nearly £450,000 has been raised to date and the charity has received the backing of so many fantastic companies and organisations who believe in what we do. But this is just the start – we’ve got lots of plans to deliver more bereavement support and extend our training schemes even further.”
More than 220 people attended the Freddie’s Wish Summer Ball, enjoying great food and an evening of live music.
Ticket sales, a silent auction, ‘heads and tails’ and a massive raffle helped raise nearly £22,000 and every penny will go towards expanding the charity’s growing impact across the UK.
Charlotte, who is now a mum of two more children, is keen to use the funding boost to extend the charity’s tailored bereavement services, with each family receiving up to twelve sessions, an assessment session and two anniversary sessions.
It will also extend its First Aid training to include preschools and primary schools, working with mini first aid partners to ensure children are equipped with the life-saving skills to support their siblings and parents.
“There is such a huge demand for both our training and the bereavement services we offer, and we would love to be able to grow to a point where no parent has to face the loss of their child alone and no parent has to face a first aid situation without the confidence and skills to act,” added Charlotte.
“With so much happening day-to-day, you can sometimes lose track of the impact Freddie’s Wish is having. Feedback from one of our parents probably sums it up best… ‘I am incredibly grateful for your time and support and for simply just being there each week to listen without judgement. It’s been a true gift for my broken heart.”
Freddie’s Wish is urging anyone that has been touched by its work to take part in individual or team fundraising challenges, as well as the charity’s annual Donut Day on December 7th to remember the little boy who has changed so many lives.
To find out more, please visit www.freddieswish.org or follow the charity across its social media channels.
