Together we CAN fight children’s cancer

Back by popular demand, Glampfest, the annual glamping festival by Glawning Ltd, will be held on 18th - 20th May 2018 near Ripon, North Yorkshire. 

The Glawning team began organising the 2018 event back in Sept 2017 and are gearing up for lots more hard work as we get closer to the big weekend. We’re passionate about making this a great event, not only to bring friends, family and glamping fans together under the stars for an unforgettable weekend of great fun, fantastic food and funky music but mainly because we want to raise as much money as humanly possible for our chosen local charity: Candlelighters - supporting children with cancer and their families across Yorkshire.  

"When we decided to hold Glampfest 2018 as a not for profit event it didn't take long to decide where we wanted the profits to go”, says Glawning Director Sarah Martin.  “Since having our baby Matilda in 2016, children’s charities have held a special place in our hearts and to be able to assist in any way those families who are going through the agony of a cancer diagnosis made Candlelighters top of our list.”

On Tuesday 30th January Team Glawning made a trip to Candlelighters in Leeds to see this charity in action.  Here's what happened:

We arrived at The Square – the community home of Candlelighters, where Jen Aspinall, Community Fundraiser, gave us a very interesting tour to show us exactly where our funds would be going. Located just a few minutes from Leeds Children’s Hospital, The Square offers much needed support and respite for families. Greeted by a bright, funky reception area complete with mini shop, a massive fish tank, toys, on-tap hot drinks and complimentary snacks, it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into making this a welcoming relaxed space for those going through the harrowing experiences that cancer brings to all members of a family.

Jen explained to us the sanctuary that is offered at The Square, where parents, siblings and grandparents can come for complimentary therapies and support groups.  We go through life hoping we’ll never have to access services like this but for these children and parents the Candlelighters offers a vital lifeline and support network.

Candlelighters also have a base within the Children’s Hospital over the road, which holds the wards and the Oncology and Haematology clinics which they support through investment in equipment, funding roles and making the wards as child-friendly as possible. This is where we went next.  It’s heart-breaking to see but also inspiring and having seen the incredible contributions being made by Candlelighters first-hand, we feel better equipped to encourage others to lend their support.  Lots of little Candlelighters touches are evident throughout the wards, from wall art, to chemo ducks (soft toy ducks which are used to demonstrate treatments to children, helping them to feel less fearful), to the interactive floor projector. 

We also met Elaine the Dinner Lady, there to provide whatever the kids want to eat whenever they want to eat it.  We saw the big playroom where the Candlelighters-funded Play Leaders are employed.

The Pavilion is yet another triumph for the charity– a building and outdoor play area attached to the ward where children and parents can escape to get some fresh air. 

The next impressive project in the Candlelighters pipeline is completion of ‘The Cottage’; a house near the hospital where families of children with cancer can stay overnight, free of charge, in a comfortable setting - keeping them close to their loved ones receiving treatment. 

All aspects of life with cancer have been thought about by this charity.  There are fully funded holidays for families, cancer research projects, a bus travelling around Yorkshire offering free support services, trips for siblings and much more.

In additional to donating our profits from the event, we are aiming to organise for siblings from the Candlelighters’ support group’ complimentary day tickets for the activities and events being held on Saturday 19th May. There will also be a few Candlelighters volunteers present throughout the weekend helping in various roles.

We came away very impressed by all the Candlelighters endeavours and spurred on more than ever to work our socks off to raise as much as we can to help these children through an experience they should never have to bear.