Three Counties Christmas profiles The Pied Piper Appeal
Posted on 30th October 2021 at 18:19
Introduction
As most of you who are reading this know, Ali and I always try and support charities and good causes around the Three Counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire as much as we possibly can. This is why we are delighted that this month’s Spotlight is focused on The Pied Piper Appeal. We have been talking to Julie Kent MBE, who is Vice Chair of Pied Piper and finding out some more information about the charity.
Past
The Pied Piper Appeal was formed in 1992 to build a new Children’s Hospital in Gloucester to serve all the children in Gloucestershire and Baroness Rennie Fritchie asked Peter Hickman MBE, a local businessman at the time, to head up the Appeal.
With Princess Diana as the Patron they opened the Children’s Centre which was built on the side of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in July 2004.
Roger Head OBE DL, became involved at this time and suggested that Pied Piper broadened their criteria to help the Special Schools in Gloucestershire.
The Pied Piper Appeal are celebrating their 30th year next year and have lots of exciting events and plans!
Present
There are now 12 special schools scattered across the County from Paternoster in Cirencester, Heart of the Forest in Coleford to Alderman Knight School in Tewkesbury with 9 others in between, which are supported. Pied Piper fund sensory rooms, vehicles and indoor and outdoor play areas amongst other things.
They also send children with life limiting and terminal illnesses on holidays, mainly to Centreparcs and Euro Disney. They have become more and more involved with supporting children who have been admitted to the Children’s Centre with mental health illness, as well as supporting the outpatient units in Gloucester and Cheltenham.
They have a young ambassador who makes journey boxes which are given to the children admitted.
They opened their first charity shop on Court Road in Brockworth 3 years ago and another one in Silverdale Parade in Hucclecote 6 months ago.
Future
Next year is their 30th year and they are planning a Celebratory walk & Crystal Ball amongst many other events.
You can support them by joining their 100 club and/or sign up to their weekly newsletter for all their news and most importantly pictures of ‘Where the Money Goes’
We want to say a huge thank you to Julie for giving her time to help us with this and just for fun, we've asked her to share her Christmas favourites...
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