In early September, the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice contacted us, asking for a contribution to support its 2025 Dragon Boat Race. There, a team of staff and volunteers planned to take a stall and sell doughnuts as part of their fund-raising efforts.
Given the great value of the Hospice’s work, we were delighted to donate a supply of Classic Mini Ring Doughnuts, which were reportedly very well received.
The Dragon Boat Race was held at Pugneys Country Park in Wakefield. Open to competing teams of 16 paddlers each, it featured a series of 200m races in brightly decorated boats. Despite heavy rain, the event provided a memorable spectacle that also helped to raise funds and to boost awareness of the charity’s role and its important work.
The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice operates across West Yorkshire, providing support for children with life-limiting conditions and, importantly, giving support to their families too. The charity has helped over a thousand people over the last year alone. This has included 107 children aged between 0 and 5; a further 74 aged 6 to 12; and 50 aged 13 or above.
More details of its work can be found in its Impact Report for 2024/25.
In it, the charity’s chief executive Gareth Pierce notes: “Forget Me Not is so much more than a place where children come to die. It’s where families come to live. From the moment they receive a life-shortening diagnosis for their child, we’re there – helping them make the most of every moment.”
The Hospice receives excellent reviews from those whom it supports, but public funding sources are very limited, so it is highly reliant on donations from individuals and businesses.
Gareth Pierce explains: “We’re incredibly proud of the difference we’ve made – but the reality is, we still receive only a small portion of our funding from the government… That’s why we continue to rely on the support of our community – through monthly giving, corporate partnerships, fundraising or gifts in wills.”
Anyone wishing to support the organisation’s work can find out more here.
