Another great way to support Claire House

Regular readers of this site will know that when John was president of the IDE his Presidential charity was Claire House and IDE members raised enough money at IDE events nationwide to sponsor a full day of the hospice and that day will be Saturday 2nd March 2013.

As Steve Jack is now President of the IDE all IDE fundraising will go to his charity Baby Lifeline, but John has decided that he wants to try to do as much as he can to continue to help Claire House so that is what we will try to do.

The first chance to help them comes in a way that gets John's support, but not his personal efforts as it is a marathon across North Wales, something that was beyond John 20 years ago let alone now!

However, energetic demolition people everywhere can get involved and enter so to use a well known football chant - "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough". Details of how to take part are as below (click the image to see it full size):

IDE members thanked for their generosity

The 'bucket' collection at the end of the Autumn Seminar was a huge success and managed to raise £730 for the Claire House Children's Hospice. Pat, from Claire House, has written a letter of thanks we have shared below:

"Thank you so much for this donation. What a lovely surprise to get on a dull grey day here in Wirral. It never fails to surprise and delight me when we get the support from people in the community who have adopted us and a donation comes in.

I think besides the money, which of course is a key factor, it’s the fact that we know there are people out there who care and have our cause in their hearts and minds as you all at IDE do."

If you'd like to know more about what Claire House does, or to make a donation, please visit their website.

Source: IDE

Presidents Charity for IDE Luncheon on 18th November 2011

I would just like a few minutes of your time to introduce you to Claire House, the Presidents Charity for today’s AGM.

Claire House is a hospice for children who have life limiting illnesses.

The 10 bedded unit is based in Merseyside and provides care for children and their families. All the children that go to Claire House are not expected to reach adulthood, although due to medical advances in the last 10 years many of their patients with conditions that meant they may only have lived until their teens, are enjoying a longer life.

Sadly though, many children will die and they go to Claire House for end of life care.

Claire House have to raise £2.5 million every year to keep their doors open to these children and provide the specialist care they require.

They get NO guaranteed funding from the Primary Care Trusts nor do they get any funding from government. Like all hospices they can apply for a grant of approximately £300,000 for the year.

This grant covers just 6 weeks of care out of the 52.

The rest of the money has to be raised through fundraising and donations and I have decided, therefore, that the IDE Presidents charity during my time in office will be Claire House. As such, the proceeds from Friday’s raffle and auction will be split, as they have in the past, between the IDE’s own charitable funds for further education within demolition, and Claire House.

Can I ask you to please dig deep in these difficult financial times to help us to raise as much money as possible for this deserving cause.

John Woodward. IDE President