New partnership with Morrisons will help families supported by Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices has welcomed the launch of a brand-new partnership between national charity Together for Short Lives and supermarket giant, Morrisons that will benefit the local families, babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions that we support across West London and Surrey.
The partnership will see Morrisons stores twinned with their local children’s hospice, with money raised from each store going directly to their local hospice. Shooting Star Children’s Hospices are twinned with ten stores in Acton, Aldershot, Brentford, Ealing Broadway, Fleet, Farnborough, Mitcham, Reigate, Sutton, and Wimbledon.
The three-year UK wide partnership, launched on the 15 February with Together for Short Lives – the only charity supporting the UK’s 54 children’s hospices, including Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.
Paul Farthing, Chief Executive at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices said, “This partnership is an extraordinary opportunity and we’re very grateful to Morrisons and their staff for their support. It will benefit thousands of children and families across the UK, including those families supported by Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, allowing us to continue to provide our vital care to families across Surrey and London.”
The money raised from this partnership will go towards helping families like Jake’s. Karen’s son Jake, now 16, has been supported by us since he was two years old. The support from us has been invaluable to her whole family.
Karen explains, “Jake’s condition is progressive, so he’s never talked, and now is unable to walk or have food orally anymore. He can go 24-48 hours without sleep at all, and during this time I must be awake because of the risk of choking. Having someone to talk to at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices really helps. Last year we were really struggling, and Jake was able to go in for emergency respite through our funded nights. We genuinely couldn’t have done without the support for our mental health.
“Without them I don’t know where we’d be, there really is no other place that can care for him and his complex needs. We honestly couldn’t have got by without Shooting Star Children’s Hospices – that’s the 100% truth.”
Together for Short Lives CEO, Andy Fletcher says, “Hearing the news that your child is seriously ill is devastating – families can be left feeling scared and alone. I can’t tell you what a difference this amazing new partnership will make for these families. Knowing that Morrisons colleagues up and down the country are on their side, means the absolute world.”
Morrisons CEO, David Potts says, “Together for Short Lives is an amazing charity which supports families through immensely difficult times and hearing the very important stories from families who have received their support was incredibly moving for everyone at Morrisons. I’m really looking forward to our partnership with Together for Short Lives and helping to raise vital funds to support families with seriously ill children and the wonderful hospices that care for them.”
You can see a map of the stores partnering with us here:
This article is from our Summer 2022 edition of Shine. Read more from the digital version here. If you’d like to receive our printed Shine magazine, which comes out twice a year, these are sent to everyone who has made a donation within the last 12 months, and opted in to receiving post.
