Epic challenge could give bereaved South West family a respite break
Trustees of Charlie's Star are taking on the London Bridge walk TWICE
It's hoped a bereaved family in the South West will benefit from a respite holiday - through an epic challenge by the trustees of a local charity.
Charlie's Star was created in memory of Charlie Burns from Bulford, in Wiltshire, who died aged 10 in 2011, from SUDEP - an undetected form of epilepsy.
Today (Saturday 15th April), Charlie's mum Jan, who lives in Truro, Cornwall, and Carol Musgrove from Salisbury will take on the London Bridges Challenge TWICE, walking 50 kilometres.
Jan says they just want to help others:
"Of course we support every bereaved family in the South West that's lost a child under the age of 19, but the pandemic has brought its own additional problems and bereavements that families are dealing with.
"It just breaks me that we as trustees are having to sit down and read the horrendous stories of families that are left behind."
The pair, who'll be joined by another trustee Sarah Hurst, will walk from Putney Bridge to London Bridge and back again.
They've chosen the distance as they all turn 50 this year, and wanted a challenge to support the Cornish cause so close to their hearts.
Carol Musgrove explains what they want to achieve:
"To fund a family for a week costs £2,000. If we can just make enough to put one family on holiday and bring some hope back after an awful situation, that's what's pushing us on."
Charlie's Star say demand for their services have risen since the pandemic, due to Covid itself but also a rise in teenage suicides.
That's coupled with a difficulty in getting out and raising money for the charity in the past few years.
Jan Burns says what they do is vital:
"We're incredibly busy now raising the profile of the organisation, but with that comes more families. Every penny raised goes towards supporting families, and that's amazing but we always need to raise more, because we want to be able to say yes to more families and not have to turn anyone away."
The holidays that Charlie's Star provides gives families a week in the countryside of Cornwall, to reflect, remember and take the next step forward after bereavement.
So far, the group's raised more than £1,900 through this challenge - you can support them through their JustGiving page.