16 Dec Magical Christmas Party for Local Children Living with Cancer
Gold Geese annual grotto party brings festive fun for families
Families affected by childhood cancer have had a Christmas party to remember, thanks to local charity Gold Geese.
Each year the charity arranges a Christmas get-together for families it supports. This year the event took place at café Hatch in Leigh-on-Sea, with special appearances from Santa and his elves, real reindeer, and entertainment from a magician, Spiderman and princesses Elsa and Anna from Disney’s Frozen.
Families enjoyed arts and crafts, a chocolate fountain, delicious food from local catering company My Petite Kitchen, and each family received family games, Jellycat toys and £500 John Lewis vouchers to help cover the cost of Christmas.
Gold Geese also arranged a special wreath-making workshop at Create98 for families who have lost a child to cancer. The bereaved families made festive decorations personalised to their loved one’s favourite colours, animals and memories.
Katie Southgate, founder of Gold Geese, says:
“Christmas can be a particularly tough time for families affected by childhood cancer, whether they’re newly diagnosed, going through treatment, or have lost a child too soon.
“We support our Gold families every step of the way, and events like our grotto party and wreath-making workshop let them know We Fly Together, and allow them the opportunity to make memories and meet others in a similar situation.
Tickets for our Gold Grotto at Hatch have already sold out, and we want to thank every one of our supporters for helping us provide some magical memories for families facing cancer this Christmas.”
Gold Geese provides practical and emotional support to local families of children and young people fighting cancer. Support is tailored to each family’s needs and ranges from funding for mental health therapy and food shop vouchers to toys, weekend trips away and practical help with travel to and from hospital. The charity also raises awareness of the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer and encourages those who are able to donate blood or stem cells to help children undergoing treatment.
Katie adds:
“Around 1,900 children are diagnosed with cancer every year, and it causes a huge upheaval for everyone in the family – emotionally, physically and often financially.
“We’re there every step of the way for local families affected by childhood cancer. Our slogan is ‘We Fly Together’, because geese are a team and no one is left behind.”
The charity receives no government funding and relies on community donations to fund its work.
This Christmas you can give the gift of a donation to Gold Geese at www.goldgeese.org/donate/giftcard
- A donation of £20 could provide toys or comfy new pyjamas for a child with cancer staying in hospital
- £45 funds an hour’s counselling session for a bereaved family
- £280 funds a memorial bench for a child who has passed away
- £400 funds a big end of treatment celebration for friends and family
- £700 covers the cost of a weekend away for a family to offer respite
You can also donate to Gold Geese via text. Text GOLD followed by the amount you wish to donate to 70580 (for example, GOLD 50 to donate £50). Texts cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message.
For more information about the charity or to learn the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer visit www.goldgeese.org.
