Julia's House

DORSET’S only children’s hospice, Julia’s House, has been adopted by a Christchurch company as its chosen charity for a further year.

AquaCare staff have already raised more than £2,000 for Julia’s House since first choosing to back the charity in November 2008.

Fundraising activities have ranged from taking part in a dragon boat race to a 120-mile cycle challenge in France by Managing Director Simon Booth.

Simon has recently joined a charity cycle challenge with riders cycling to all 26 fire stations in Dorset in just 24 hours. Cyclists, who set off from Christchurch fire station were provided with water bottles by Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water (BWHW). They cycled as far south as Portland, as far west as Lyme Regis and as far north as Gillingham before finishing at Ferndown fire station the following day – a distance of 230 miles.

The company also provides emergency plumbing, heating, drains and water hygiene services to the Corfe Mullen hospice and has helped with plumbing work at shops run by the charity.

The Julia’s House logo is also displayed on AquaCare’s 68-strong fleet of vans. AquaCare is owned by Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water.

Mr Booth said: “Julia’s House is a wonderful charity and we’re pleased to confirm our support for a further 12 months.

“The combination of active fundraising and providing our services at a reduced rate means that AquaCare is making a real difference to the work of Julia’s House.”

Martin Edwards, Chief Executive of Julia’s House, said: “It’s terrific that local companies such as AquaCare choose to support Julia’s House, because we’ve found that corporate support has been particularly badly hit in the recession.

“The funds and the awareness that AquaCare is continuing to raise will be helping to bring comfort and happiness to many local children, both the ones that we currently support and the many more who are being referred to us all the time with complex conditions that require constant care.”

Julia's House is Dorset's only children's hospice, providing vital care to children across the county with life-limiting illnesses. Currently around 100 children benefit from care and activities provided by the charity’s 70 skilled nurses and carers, both at home and in the Corfe Mullen based hospice.

Following a decision by the Care Quality Commission to approve the hospice's application for overnight care, families of life-limited children will be able to access full weekend respite breaks, and when the time comes, round-the-clock end of life care from Easter this year onwards.

Julia’s House receives just three per cent of its funding from the Government, with the remainder coming from the Dorset community.

Picture caption Proud supporters: Simon Booth, AquaCare’s Managing Director (left) with Martin Edwards, Chief Executive, Julia’s House.