Children’s Hospice South West celebrates 30 years Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) is “From that bonkers statement, an idea grew,” celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021 …and said Mr Farwell. everyone is welcome to join the party! “We knew that there were many hundreds of During the last three decades, the charity has families in the West Country who should also provided a safe haven of care, support and have the opportunity to experience the friendship for thousands of local families with benefits which we were receiving at Helen a seriously ill child. And in its 30th year, House.” supporters are being asked to help it create more cherished memories for many years to The couple started fundraising in the laundry come. room of their home and spent days, evenings and weekends on the road with printed A £1m fundraising appeal to build the South leaflets talking to anyone who would listen West’s first children’s hospice was launched about the project. in 1991 by Eddie and Jill Farwell, who experienced the urgent need for hospice care In 1995, Little Bridge House opened its doors for local children. Their two eldest children, in Fremington, near Barnstaple. Huge Katie and Tom, had life-limiting illnesses and demand for its services led to the opening of the family had to travel more than four hours, the charity’s second hospice, Charlton Farm, from their home in North Devon to Helen near Bristol, in 2007. And in 2011, Little House in Oxford, then the country’s only Harbour opened in St Austell, Cornwall, meaning that no matter where families live children’s hospice. in the South West, children’s hospice care is available within an hour-and-a-half drive. Mr Farwell, who is the charity’s chief executive, said the idea to build a children’s hospice came to him during the middle of a restless night, and despite being told to ‘stop being so silly and go back to sleep’ by his late wife Jill, the idea began to take shape.
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