Claire House asks people to wear a Christmas Hat to help them get ahead!

We’ve all heard of Christmas Jumper Day, but Claire House Children’s Hospice is appealing to people to celebrate Christmas Hat Day – and help them to get ahead!

It’s the fifth year the charity has launched the festive fundraiser, which takes place on Friday, December 1.

And Mark Pearson, events fundraising manager, says: “It’s just a great fun day.

“Everyone can take part. You don’t need to be young and super-fit, or train for months for some epic challenge. You just need a Christmas hat.”

He adds: “People pay £1 to wear their Christmas hat which is only a small amount – but it all adds up to make a massive difference and help Claire House to carry on the vital work it does.”

Claire House Children’s Hospice in Bebington was launched 25 years ago in December 1998, to help seriously and terminally ill children live life to the full by creating wonderful experiences and bringing back a sense of normality to family life.

It now also has Claire House Liverpool which opened in January 2018 to offer day-care, complementary therapies, clinics, play and music sessions, and counselling.

Claire House was named after a brave little girl called Claire Cain, whose family campaigned and raised funds for a children’s hospice after she died in hospital just weeks before her 10^th birthday after being diagnosed years before with a malignant tumour behind her nose and eye.

And it is Claire who inspired the Christmas Hat Day.

Mark explains: “When she was going through chemotherapy and lost all her hair, Claire would wear funny hats to cheer all her friends and family up, and we wanted to do something in her memory to keep her story, and what Claire House was all about, alive. It’s because of her that Claire House exists.

“In summer 2019, Claire’s family organised Funny Hat Day and we thought it would be a great idea to do it at Christmas.

“It’s an easy fund-raising ask that people can do in work and schools and nurseries, community groups, in sheltered housing and care homes, or in their homes – anywhere.

“They wear a Christmas hat and pay £1 or whatever they want because we know things are tight, but it all raises money, and awareness, for Claire House and the work we do.

“Last year it raised £7,000, which is huge, and we have businesses taking part, doctors’ surgeries, clinics, loads of different people, and it’s different and it’s fun to do.

“We go out into the community and see what people are up to, and we take Claire Bear with us … it’s wonderful.

“You can wear a paper cracker hat, a Father Christmas hat, an elf hat, anything festive – and anything you raise helps us to provide 24-hour care in the hospice or with our nurses out in the community. I know people think they won’t raise much or enough, but all those small amounts create a massive amount that makes a big difference and goes a long way.

“It’s so important for us.”

To join in Christmas Hat Day and get your fundraising pack go to the website HERE.