Celebrating 30 Years

The last 12 months have seen the charity marking its 30^th year and making a difference.

Vice-chair, Julie Kent, campaigned for 30+ businesses to each raise £3000 in this celebration year and the response and generosity of the Gloucestershire business and community were staggering.

A huge range of fundraising activities ensued and included fancy dress, quizzes, wing walks, cake sales, runs and marathons, and sponsored endurance-type challenges to 30 hair dye colours, festive lights, rowing machine repetitions and tractor driving – no limits to the creativity and passion from supporters to have some fun while fundraising.

“We have so many deserving projects to finance and support and following the pandemic, we needed to turn up the efforts to support these bids. We have a huge shopping list covering activities for the hospitals, various SEND schools’ developments, increased paediatric mental health services at GRH, and special Wish holidays for children with life-limiting illnesses. We can now allocate these funds across the county,” added Nick Broady chairman.

Recent projects funded by the charity are far-reaching and include sensory equipment for special schools, IT equipment, sensory facilities at the Music Works in Gloucester, treats and certificates for children in GRH, a minibus for Battledown School, Milestone School playground, ophthalmic equipment at GRH, NHS nurses training bursaries, a refurb to the drugs room in the oncology EKU, equipment at the Willows Academy, mental health rooms development at GRH.

Our thanks to the participating companies:

Allstone Sand & Gravel, Baylis Vauxhall Group, Brace Creative, Brunsdon Financial, Butterworth Spengler, Charlie Bruce, CGT Lettings, Cheltenham College, Clockwork Components, Elmrep, Freeman Events Partners, Gardner Garages, Glevum Fitness, Gloucester Quays, Griffiths Marshall, HCR Law, HDA Financial, Hooray Recruitment, Hydro Aluminium, Malvern Tyres, Marsh Insurance, Pin Point Media, Pulsin, Punchline Gloucester, Quayside Wealth Management, RHM Telecomms, SK Refrigeration, SmartComms, Starbucks, Steve Gooch Estate Agents, Titan Performance, The Ivy Cheltenham, Tru Green, Truscott Jewellers.

As at the end of February 2023, the 30 Year campaign raised an amazing £144,772 additional revenue for the charity.

“We were blown away by the generosity of Gloucestershire and the hard work of the participating companies. Notably Freeman Event Partners must get a special mention as their Big Festive Raffle with some great donated prizes including travel vouchers, tech gadgets and event tickets, and other FEP fundraiser activities that contributed over £40,000 to this grand total. We are so grateful,” said Julie.

The year culminated in a thank you party at Belmont School where guests were treated to a big thank you from Julie, a presentation and tour from Kevin Day, Trustee and Headmaster of Belmont, followed by tea and cake, and entertainment from the school choir, who stole the show!

In recognition, the High Sherriff of Gloucestershire Sir Dusty Miller, recently presented his prestigious personal Award to acknowledge the performance of the Pied Piper charity team.

Pied Piper is hugely popular in the county providing resources that the NHS simply can’t afford with essential funding for children in the county.