It’s going to be busy summer for Harry’s Rainbow with a host of charity events, days out and holidays at Camber Sands planned from now until September.
First up will be the Colour Run and Family Fun Day that has become a firm fixture on the children’s bereavement charity’s calendar. Taking place at the Wolverton Recreation Ground on Saturday, June 7 runners of all ages and abilities will be tackling the two courses – a half-mile route and a one-mile route. Participants can walk, run, toddle or even be pushed round – all in an effort to raise money for a worthy cause.
On September 25, the charity will be hosting a Quiz Night at Marshall Amplification Studio in Milton Keynes, starting at 6.45pm. Teams of up to eight people can enter and the £15 per person entry fee includes a grazing board to keep energy levels up as things get competitive as teams tackle the various rounds of questions.
Fundraising events like this help to fund the important work the charity does with children in and around Milton Keynes who have lost a parent or sibling. Demand for the charity’s services continues to grow as awareness of how it can help grows. The charity registered 179 children in 2024; bringing the total number of children currently registered to 629.
Rainbow Groups covering a range of age groups provide friendship and support, while the charity also provides resources and memory boxes, as well as school support. Mark Creasy, Harry’s Rainbow’s Education Liaison Development Officer, works with teachers and schools to help staff understand more about helping children deal with grief and the loss of a loved one.
Trips and activities are organised throughout the year to complement the Rainbow Groups, and to give children and families the opportunity to get to know other children and families outside of the usual group environment.
The charity also has an eight-berth caravan on the flagship Park Resorts Holiday Park in Camber Sands in Sussex. This provides a home-from-home retreat for families to escape to, whether they are looking to recuperate, relax and unwind, to simply to try to get away from the daily stress of dealing with their loss and to create new, happy memories as a family.
The caravan is the equivalent of a platinum standard, and includes everything from bedding, bed guards, and a travel cot to tea, coffee, sugar and entertainment passes. Short breaks are provided completely free of charge and Harry’s Rainbow also contributes to food and transport costs.
Alison Johnson, Fundraising and Events Manager, said: “Through the support of people across the region we are able to provide resources, support groups, trips and activities that go such a long way to help children as they go through the bereavement process.
“With our caravan at Camber Sands and trips such as those planned this summer to Windsor Castle and Gulliver’s Land, and to the Land of Lights at Christmas, it gives families a chance to relax and unwind a little bit.
“The likes of the Colour Run and the Quiz Night, as well as the fundraising that goes on all year on our behalf, and the support of local businesses, as well as our Friends of Harry’s Rainbow and Corporate Friends schemes, do so much to help us continue to support bereaved children, and we’re very grateful to everyone that raises vital funds for us.”
