Ladies Lunch at Hazlewood Castle raises over £27,000 to support Martin House Children’s Hospice

More than 200 guests attended the event, hosted by the charity’s ambassador, former journalist and presenter, Christine Talbot for a spring-themed afternoon with drinks reception, two course lunch and guest talks from inspirational women including Rachel Peru, body confidence advocate and midlife influencer.

The £27,700 of donations will ensure Martin House Children’s Hospice can continue to support children across the region with life-shortening conditions, in need of respite or end-of-life care, and their families.

Martin House Children’s Hospice service user, Caroline Lambert, whose daughter Evelyn was born fighting for her life in the Neonatal ICU, facing organ failures and a severe brain injury, told her story at the event.

Caroline said: “While still in hospital, we were introduced to some of the Martin House doctors, they referred us immediately and gave us hope that whatever the future looked like, we weren’t going to have to cope alone.

“We had two overnight stays at Martin House, the first was planned, a chance to simply enjoy cuddles and family time.

"The second visit was a Symptom Control Stay, and we used this when Evelyn’s seizures and dystonia escalated beyond what we could manage at home.

“As parents it is mentally exhausting to be responsible for making the decisions of when these drugs are necessary.

"The Symptom Control Stay allowed doctors to make changes to Evelyn’s medication whilst avoiding long hospital admissions where our family would have been split across multiple locations.

“Martin House has become invaluable in my life and has supported my family in lots of different ways.”

The luncheon put the ‘fun’ in fundraising, with various games, exclusive prizes and pampering sessions courtesy of the Clarins team from John Lewis in Leeds.

The afternoon concluded with an auction and prize draw, with high value items including a weekend break for two at Hazlewood Castle, a three-month platinum membership with W Fitness, and a Champagne afternoon tea for two at Wood Hall.

Clair Holdsworth, Chief Executive at Martin House Children’s Hospice, said: “We are incredibly grateful to our event sponsors and the inspiring women who attended the lunch.

"This event not only brought vital funds but also demonstrated the incredible impact we can make when our community comes together.”

For more information about Martin House Children’s Hospice, visit https://www.martinhouse.org.uk/