Dorset children's hospice 'reliant' on fundraising efforts

Lisa's daughter was cared for at Julia's House before she died in January at the age of 18

A children's hospice charity said fundraising was vital to help it continue providing care as it faces a £1m deficit this year.

Julia's House, in Dorset, said 92% of its annual running costs of £3.34m were met by fundraising efforts.

The charity's CEO, Martin Edwards urged: "Something has got to change quickly on this."

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it has made more than £350m available to hospices since 2020.

Mr Edwards said the cost of living situation had increased the hospice's costs "considerably" over the last few years.

"It also means everyone has got less money in their pockets to donate to charities and, with our government funding still incredibly low at only 8% of our income, that leaves us hugely reliant on people remembering us in their wills or buying second-hand clothes in our shops or jumping out of aeroplanes - that's not good enough," the CEO said.

Mr Edwards said the charity was "hugely reliant" on donations

A £327,000 annual grant that came directly to Julia's House from NHS England now goes to the local NHS to distribute.

"We must hang on to that money," said Mr Edwards. "We're in urgent contact with our local health authorities to make sure the money doesn't get swallowed up by the system."

A spokesperson for NHS Dorset said it recognised that Julia's House "has a key role to play in our ongoing strategy for local care" and confirmed it was "working with them to ensure funding will continue".

Lisa's family has been supported by Julia's House since 2018.

Her daughter Annabelle lived with Juvenile Battens Disease for eight years before she died in January, aged 18, following a seizure.

Annabelle's brother Robbie also has the condition.

Annabelle lived with Juvenile Battens Disease

Lisa said the charity has "just been absolutely amazing for us".

"The amount of times I've just picked up the phone and said I need help and advice, there has been a familiar voice on the phone," she said.

"They have bent over backwards to help us. If we don't get that support, I can imagine our family will be a right mess."

In a statement, the DHSC said: "We want everyone to have access to the high-quality, personalised palliative care that can make all the difference at such a challenging time.

"That's why we require all local NHS integrated care boards to commission end of life care services to meet their patients' needs.

"We have made over £350m available to hospices since 2020 to secure and increase additional NHS capacity and enable hospital discharge, ensuring hospices can continue to deliver care to those who need it."

In 2015, Julia's House raised more than £1m with a raffle to join actor Robert Downey Jr on the red carpet for the world premiere of his film Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron in Los Angeles.

The money helped the charity to build a new hospice in Devizes, Wiltshire.

Next year, it plans to launch an art trail featuring giant mermaid tail sculptures to raise funds.

The Great Tail Trail, which will include more than 40 sculptures across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole landmarks, will officially open in April 2025.

Julia's House is inviting artists to contribute their talents and businesses to offer sponsorship for the sculptures which will eventually be auctioned off to raise money.

The mermaid tail trail will include more than 40 sculptures

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.