Two children's hospices, Chestnut Tree House and Keech Hospice Care have each recently benefited from a generous donation from the Lewis Hamilton Foundation.
Chestnut Tree House is the children's hospice for Sussex and cares for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses, while Keech Hospice Care supports life-limited children in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes.
The Foundation chose to support Keech because of its close proximity to where Lewis grew up in Stevenage, as well as Chestnut Tree House, which is located near Goodwood in West Sussex where Lewis Hamilton participated in last year's Festival of Speed.
The substantial donation was raised at the Festival of Speed and Keech's share will go directly to support their ‘Tots and Toys' group for parents and their children under 5 with various life-limiting conditions. The group runs every week and provides stimulating activities including music therapy, baby massage, arts and crafts and sessions in Keech's specialist hydrotherapy pool.
Jennie Collier, Tots and Toys organiser, said: "We are over the moon that The Lewis Hamilton Foundation has chosen to secure and improve the future of Tots and Toys at Keech. We are forever thinking up new activities to help the children play, learn and interact as they often struggle to do these things because of their varying conditions. This money will help us give them so many wonderful opportunities - it's such a gift!"
For Chestnut Tree House, this valuable donation will fund the introduction of a new Youth Group. Lewis Hamilton was very moved by the hospice's care for life-limited children and families in the community, and loved the idea of the Youth Group.
Socialising within a Youth Group is an important aspect of the growing-up process, although this can present numerous challenges both physically and emotionally for young people with a life-limiting illness. The aim of this project is to provide the same opportunities that teenagers would expect at a Youth Club, giving them the chance to socialise and enjoy new experiences. The teenagers involved have already planned a schedule for 2010 including a film and pizza night, a London theatre trip, a karaoke evening - ‘Chestnuts Got Talent' - and a family barbecue party.
Linda Perry, Director of Children's Services expressed her gratitude saying, "The amazing generosity and kindness of the Lewis Hamilton Foundation means that we can give the young people the chance to enjoy new experiences and activities, to socialise with their peers and, most of all, to have fun and enjoy every moment of their limited time at Chestnut Tree House."
Lewis said: "I've met many children whose spirit and optimism in the face of overwhelming difficulties has been truly humbling and inspirational to me. Through the work of the Foundation, we've been able to help those children who are perhaps less fortunate than others, and to provide them with the funds, facilities and care that they need.
"Through the work of the Lewis Hamilton Foundation, I'm able to achieve far more than I ever could as an individual, and I'm really proud of the help that we've been able to provide here."
The Foundation also invited several families whose children use Keech Hospice Care and Chestnut Tree House to attend last year's Festival of Speed as VIPs.
For more information about Keech Hospice Care, visit www.keech.org.uk and for more details about Chestnut Tree House, please visit www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk
