The Charlie and Carter Foundation
Laura Jane Forbes – Charity Fundraising and Events Manager.
What did you set out to achieve this year?
The main aim for The Charlie and Carter Foundation in 2024 was to raise the profile of the charity and reach out to more families who could benefit from our support. It is heartbreaking to think that we could have helped someone caring for a child with life limiting illnesses, but they didn’t receive any support simply because they didn’t know about us.
We wanted to host more events to help with this and we have had a year full of exciting fundraisers like the Trek for Charlie and Carter, Snowdon at Sunrise, Great North Run, as well as our own Networking Events – C&C Connect.
Has everything gone according to plan?
It has not been a smooth ride this year, there have been hiccups along the way! The rising costs and unexpected expenses have hit us hard which means we have to raise more to continue to financially support our families. Because we give out grants to families, we don’t qualify for any grants from big funders, so we rely heavily on fundraising and donations. Saying that, since the charity started, we have helped 130 families thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters.
What are you most proud of this year?
We are extremely proud of how all of our staff, volunteers and trustees have pulled together as a team to help the charity thrive and move forward. Even though it has been a tough year we are so proud we can still do what we set out to do in Charlie and Carter’s memory.
What was the most enjoyable event of the year?
Our favourite event this year was the Cookson Royale – Our Annual Ball! We welcomed over 250 guests to the Hilton to remember Charlie and Carter and the families we have supported in their memory. It is always an emotional rollercoaster hearing from Chris and Sarah, our founders, and the reason they set up The Charlie and Carter Foundation and we are so grateful to everyone who attended the event and helped us raise £21,686!
What have you learnt about yourself this year?
We have learnt that the financial support we give to families is so desperately needed; there is no other support like ours. Families who are caring for a child with life limiting illnesses have so much stress and have to fight for everything, to be able to take away some of the financial pressure is life changing. Parents can be with their child and create precious memories while they can. We can’t cure any illnesses, but we can relieve some of the pressure allowing families to be in the moment together.
Describe 2024 in three words…
Uplifting, emotional and rewarding.
Reflecting on the year is always hard for us. Our families have children with life limiting illnesses, and we know when we support them that they might not have a long life. We have lost children this year, and at that point we can be there for the parents when all of the benefits stop and give them a bit of breathing space with our bereavement fund. This allows parents to take the time they need before they rush back to work.
What are your aims for 2025?
We aim to continue doing what we always do – providing essential support to families. Alongside that we aim to introduce the charity to new audiences and give people the opportunity to support us.
We have an amazing shop in South Shields filled with pre-loved bargains and we will be working hard in 2025 to increase footfall there to help us raise much needed funds. We’re at 18 Denmark Centre, South Shields, so please do pop in and see what we are about!
As part of the South Tyneside pledge, we work closely with South Tyneside Council on the South Shields Market, and our Charlie and Carter’s Angels attend every Friday come wind rain or shine!
If you would like to find out more about what we do at The Charlie and Carter Foundation, please contact Laura Jane Forbes on Laura@ccfemail.co.uk or visit www.thecharlieandcarterfoundation.co.uk