Claire House Children’s Hospice worker is walking 100km in fancy dress to raise funds

During Children’s Hospice Week, Play Specialist Lawren shines a light on the importance of children’s hospices, dressing up in fancy dress every day for two weeks to walk 100km.

When lockdown was announced Lawren Harris, Play Specialist at Claire House Children’s Hospice, along with her colleagues, adapted the way they work so they could continue to be there for the families the charity supports, with many of these families having to self-isolate.

Speaking on the Play team’s new way of working, Lawren said:

“We haven’t let Covid-19 beat us and by welcoming technology with open arms, we have still had fun delivering play sessions and connecting with families during this particularly difficult period.

“Whilst we still do sessions in the hospice, for those who cannot make it, the Play team have been showcasing our skills and story voices in videos which parents and children can watch.

“We have been able to provide story times, Makaton sessions, nursery rhyme singing, arts and crafts sessions, like a how to make gloop, and offer some great links to positive, fun ideas to help families with sick children during these unprecedented times.”

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As well as helping in her usual role, Lawren has also set herself the challenge to complete the charity’s 100ks of Summer.

This virtual challenge requires participants to run, walk, cycle or ramble 100 kilometres during the 100 days of Summer for their local children children’s hospice. There is no registration fee and Claire House only ask for a minimum of £100 to be raised.

Lawren wanted to do something to not only commemorate Children’s Hospice Week, but raise vital funds for Claire House.

Setting herself the task of not only completing the distance in two weeks around the Claire House gardens, Lawren will also be dressed up in a different fancy dress costume each day.

Speaking on the challenge, Lawren said: “I am taking on the 100ks of Summer because I know every penny that gets donated makes a huge impact to the children and families that Claire House supports.

“I wanted to bring play into it with some fancy dress and doing a lot of my laps in the Claire House garden, as that’s where we love to have fun and create lovely memories with the children and families.

“Hopefully the fancy dress can also help people smile, as at this moment, I think we could all benefit from a little chuckle.”

You can support Lawren by visiting her JustGiving page here and, if you are interested in taking part in 100ks of Summer yourself, click here.

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