25 years of helping life-limited children in the West

The West Country has many inspirational charities that are close to the hearts of people in the region. But one celebrating its 25th anniversary this year supports families trying to make the most of short and precious lives.

Children's Hospice South West helps parents, grandparents and siblings with respite care and support from the outset of a terminal illness in a child through to their end of life.

The charity was founded by Eddie Farwell and his late wife Jill back in 1991. The couple had two life-limited children and were having to travel from their home in Devon to the only hospice for children at that time in Oxford.

They set about creating Children's Hospice South West and built the first of what has become three hospices in North Devon.

The other two are at Wraxall near Bristol and St Austell in Cornwall. It costs £8M per year to keep the service running and the majority of that is provided by charity fundraising.

Mandy Robbins is Director of Care at Children's Hospice South West Director of Care. She says people still need to know about the work they do to help children with life-limiting conditions and their families.