THE county’s only children’s hospice has been boosted by a £25,000 cash injection thanks to a Hockley dad who has experienced the charity’s care first hand.
Little Havens, based in Thundersley, has received the boost from Lloyds of London’s Charities Trust.
Nick Hart, who works for Lloyd’s broker Guy Carpenter, applied for the grant on behalf of Little Havens after the charity cared for his daughter Katie at the end of her life.
Katie was 13 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer and given just months to live. Katie sadly died two weeks after her 15th birthday in 2008, with her family by her side at the hospice.
Katie’s family have been determined to carry on her legacy and set up the fundraising group Friends of Katie in 2008, which has raised more than £146,000 for Little Havens.
Nick was delighted to secure the Lloyds of London’s Charities Trust grant, although it came as a surprise.
He said: “After applying for the £25,000 I didn’t expect to be successful as I had already won a grant of £2,000 for Little Havens in 2017 through the same scheme.
“I was shocked and didn’t expect to be successful again. After all, there are so many other worthy causes especially in these difficult times.
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“Fundraising for Little Havens is the most natural thing in the world to us. It’s just what we do.
“I am always looking for ways to raise money. I find it difficult to go back to Little Havens but I like telling all the people who have been so kind to us, and donated money in Katie’s memory, exactly where it’s gone and what it has paid for at the hospice.”
Tanya King, philanthropy manager at Havens Hospices, said: “We can’t thank Nick enough for applying for this grant, for all the incredible support Friends of Katie has given to Little Havens over the years and a huge thank you also to Lloyds of London’s Charities Trust for their very generous donation.
“This will make such a difference and help us continue making every day count for everyone we care for by providing palliative nursing and supportive care to babies, young people and their families with complex or incurable conditions across Essex.”
For more information about Friends of Katie, visit friendsofkatie.co.uk.
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