With the rapid expansion of the Fourfront Group, the Directors unanimously agreed to enhance our links with the local community and in 2008, decided to support the Shooting Star CHASE Children's Hospices.
Shooting Star CHASE offers a range of care services for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families. These can take place in the family home, in the community and at Shooting Star House, the purpose-built facility based in Hampton, Middlesex. We knew we wanted to support a local Charity working with children and when we visited the Shooting Star Children hospice, we were impressed by the dedication of the Shooting Star team and the environment they had created. Staff and patients were incredibly positive and our decision was an easy one.
The care services include Short Breaks (respite care), Day Care, Outreach Care, Family Support and Therapies and specialist End of Life Care. Their care services are based around the needs of the whole family, so as well as caring for the children and young people, Shooting Star CHASE offers activities for siblings and support groups for parents and grandparents. Shooting Star CHASE provides care services to families, free of charge, 365 days a year. The Hospice only relies on voluntary donations to fund the £3.5 million needed each and every year to sustain their care service provision.
Since the Fourfront Group have started supporting the charity, we have organised a number of fundraising events which have included charity auctions, sporting events , dress down days, Space hopper race and even an office chair race in Mayfair!
This year, a team of seven are undertaking a new challenge in order to raise £10,500 for the Hospice. The team are going to complete a 300 miles bicycle ride from London to Paris in four days. The seven riders will have to average 74 miles a day in order to finish the route.
The £10,500 we are raising could establish The Shooting Star CHASE Sibling Support groups. In families with life-limited children those most severely affected can often be the siblings. They can experience a multiplicity of emotions, including isolation, guilt and anger. These groups will provide activities and days out and engender fun, camaraderie, a sense of belonging and being special.
Most of us have children and one can only imagine the pain and suffering that these families have to endure and Shooting Star CHASE does an incredible job in providing comfort and care and the most traumatic of times. Fundraising events have been fantastic at bringing people together and we are already planning a number of events for next year.
"The Shooting Star Children's Hospice are delighted to have been supported by and working with Area Sq for the last three years after having been chosen by their staff as their charity of choice. They are truly committed to making a difference in both giving their time and raising vital funds to support children and teenagers with life-limiting conditions and their families across London, Surrey and Sussex.
The partnership launch was an extremely exciting time and it hasn't stopped since. Each year there is a new challenge in which they set themselves to achieve in their support for Shooting Star CHASE.
All the team are amazingly dedicated, passionate and great to be working with. Shooting Star CHASE is truly grateful for such amazing long term support."
Amy Chambers, Shooting Star CHASE Fundraising Manager
