As Trustees of Team Charlie, we’ve thought for a while how we can best serve Charlie’s memory and have a more tangible tribute to this remarkable young man. Sooo, we’re delighted to share with you that we have launched a new fundraising project to purchase a static holiday home at Hoburne Cotswold Water Park, so that we can help even more children living with brain tumours. This will provide them with a specific place for them and their families to escape to for a much-needed break, away from the relentless, traumatic ordeal of living with such a horrendous illness.

Named Charlie’s Retreat (what else?), Cotswold Water Park has EVERYTHING you'd want if you're a young family. We absolutely love it and so would have Charlie, that's why it's perfect and we know other kids would love it just as much. Beautiful lakes, adventure activities, play areas, games arcade, entertainment, plenty of places to eat AND within a short distance of some of the best places to visit - Cotswold Wildlife Park, Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park and is next to Cotswold Country Park & Beach - the UK’s largest inland sandy beach, a serene lagoon, and an array of activities including water sports, the AquaVenture inflatable course, mini golf, and family pedal go-karts. But above all else it is near water - whether a lake, the beach, or a swimming pool in his back garden, it was a place Charlie sought refuge with Toni when he was going through so much with chemo and the cancer itself.

And this is where we start our appeal, right here, today. We need YOUR help with getting there. Without help from you lovely supporters, it will be difficult in achieving our dream. We can never forget how all of you came together when we needed your help the most for Charlie’s treatment aboard, so we know what you’re all capable of. We cannot thank supporters, donors and fundraisers enough for what you have done to date.

Aside from set-up and pitching costs including the purchase of a static holiday home, there'll be annual overheads for the running and maintenance of it. We know these things aren’t cheap. But the return and payback will be immeasurable in helping create respite for families going through hell (which also severely impacts on finances) and create long-lasting memories for many who statistically, as hard as it is to write this, will lose their child.

Our target is £70,000, which will enable us to purchase a pre-loved home with an outside decking area, including pitch fees & running costs (energy bills, cleaning costs etc) for the first year. During certain times of the year, we may make this available to non-beneficiaries and their families, as charities often do, to generate revenue to cover some of the annual costs. We have our sights set on the 2025 season.

So, if you want to do something for the greater good, need an incentive to run that 10K in summer or arrange a bake sale, or want to do something daft in the name of charity like jump from a plane, dress as a chicken for a week or arrange your own event – whether you’re an individual, bunch of friends or a business – we need you to help us fundraise for something that is so vital for these families. Or, if you have a spare few quid to donate, then please do . . . anything and everything is much appreciated.

Any questions, please DM us or post a comment below. Thank you, as ever.

Love Toni, Claire & Karen, aka Team Charlie x

#charliesretreat