KFC’s Add Hope makes substantial donation to CHSW

25 September 2017 chsw Fundraising

Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) is delighted to receive £111,199 from KFC’s Add Hope Foundation. The Add Hope Foundation enables each KFC restaurant to support a local children’s charity, with 100% of funds raised going directly to the charity. Money is raised through product promotions (it donates 10p from every Kids’ Meal), scratch cards, donation boxes or through customers donating via their Colonel’s Club loyalty cards. KFC’s South West franchisees nominated CHSW to be the beneficiaries of these funds. Kate Fisher, Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser at CHSW, said

‘We are delighted to be the recipients of KFC’s Add Hope Foundation donation. At CHSW we place great importance on eating and mealtimes so the fact these funds could cover the food bill at each of our three hospices for an entire year is hugely significant.

Becki Smith and family
The large fully-equipped kitchens and open-plan dining rooms at each CHSW hospice have been designed as a central meeting place for families, care team and children to come together during their stay. Frequently families do not have the chance to eat together at home whilst juggling the needs of their poorly child. For the families who come to the hospice, having the opportunity to have a home-cooked meal together, with the care of the affected child in the hands of professionals, relieves the stress that can often be associated with mealtimes. 

Becki Smith uses CHSW for respite with her family. Her daughter, Sophia, has chronic lung disease and enjoys visits to the hospice with her sisters Laila and Olivia. Becki said, ‘I come to the hospice for a rest and a break, but at the same time Sophia isn't whisked away by the care team - she’s a part of everything we do. We can play, have fun and I can focus on Olivia and Laila, knowing a nurse is concentrating on Sophia. It's also the little things that make a big difference: I get to sleep all through the night and mealtimes are together as a family. Dinner at home for us is when the girls want it and I'm holding Sophia, eating with one hand because I can't put her down. But at the hospice I get to eat with a knife and fork, which feels like a luxury! We all sit together around the table as a family. That time means such a lot to me.’  

CHSW is a haven for families across the South West whose children have been diagnosed with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions. It offers a wealth of services – all of which are free to families – including short breaks offering medical care 365 days a year, respite, holistic care including music therapy, emergency stays, a dedicated sibling service, end of life care and bereavement support. The charity currently supports over 400 families across the region and relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to deliver its services to local families.

Source:  Children's Hospice South West