Together for Short Lives and Morrisons have announced a new partnership that will provide vital support for families cared for by Huddersfield-based Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.
Out of more than 100 charities to apply, Together for Short Lives – the only charity supporting the UK’s 54 children’s hospices, including Forget Me Not – won a Morrisons colleague vote to decide which charity would benefit from a three-year partnership aiming to raise around £10 million.
Children’s hospices like Forget Me Not provide lifeline support to families facing up to the heartbreak that their child will die young. Money raised in Morrisons stores and sites will support children’s hospices with the vital funding they need to be there for the 99,000 families caring for a seriously ill child.
Together for Short Lives will become Morrisons’ new charity partner from February, when the supermarket giant’s current partnership with Young Lives vs Cancer comes to a close.
David Potts, CEO at Morrisons, said: “It’s been a privilege to support Young Lives vs Cancer for the last five years and I’d like to thank our colleagues, customers and suppliers for their efforts in raising over £17m – in particular our Community Champions who’ve worked so tirelessly.
“We’re looking forward to teaming up with Together for Short Lives and providing vital support for children’s hospices across our local communities.”
Every single Morrisons store and site will be connected with their local children’s hospice, like Forget Me Not, raising much-needed funds to help them provide families facing the unimaginable with vital care and the chance to make cherished memories together.
Gareth Pierce, director of income generation at Forget Me Not, said: “This is incredibly exciting news. This partnership with Morrisons promises to be transformational for our children’s hospice and for local children and families. We can’t wait to get start working with our local Morrisons team!”
Forget Me Not provides lifeline support to families facing up to the heartbreak of their child dying young, across West Yorkshire. Families like Henry’s.
Henry is five and has spent most of his young life in and out of hospital. He has a number of complex health issues, including a very rare cranial disorder which means his brain has no room to grow. He’s fed through a tube, has stopped breathing on numerous occasions and needs watching constantly, day and night. Henry’s family was referred to Forget Me Not when he was two. His mum Sarah, says: “We were really at breaking point so the hospice was a massive lifeline – somewhere Henry would be safe. The staff there are specially trained, they know how to look after him.”
Andy Fletcher, chief executive at Together for Short Lives, highlighted the difference this partnership will make for families like Henry’s supported by a children’s hospice and said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as Morrisons’ next charity partner.
“Their support is going to help us make a lifetime of difference in communities up and down the UK. Families of seriously ill children are pushed to their limits every day.
“This incredible partnership will help to ensure that lifeline children’s hospices who are there for these families, aren’t pushed to theirs. The partnership will also kick-start an exciting new project to help us reach every family who needs our help in local communities.
“Every single Morrisons store and site will be connected with their local children’s hospice, raising much-needed funds to help them provide families facing the unimaginable with vital care and the chance to make cherished memories together.
“A partnership of this scale is just transformational – Together for Short Lives cannot save a child’s life, but with a little help from Morrisons colleagues and customers we can make sure that no family has to suffer through their child’s short life alone, and instead can treasure every moment they have together.”
