Following a request for nominations from our members, The Jessie May Trust has been chosen by Bristol Media as their partner and we are both really excited about the new partnership and the opportunities it might bring.



The Jessie May Trust provides palliative care at-home to children and young people with life limiting illnesses in the Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset areas. They aim to support the family as soon after diagnosis as possible continuing throughout the child’s life into death and bereavement.



The majority of the children they work with have very rare genetic, metabolic and neurological conditions and are expected to die before the age of 19. Some of these conditions are diagnosed at birth, whilst others may not be diagnosed until a later stage. Some conditions result in a very short lifespan for a child of only a few months, others have a much longer lifespan, thereby placing a great strain on the whole family caring for them at home. By providing additional nursing care within the families’ own homes, both the child’s and the family’s quality of life are enhanced.



Essentially The Jessie May Trust makes life easier to manage for the children and their families. The children are given the best care in their own homes, around the people and things they love. Their families are given the best support, advice and offered a sympathetic ear when times are tough. Being able to leave their child with a specialist nurse means that families can go out and do ‘normal’ things like shopping and paying bills, things everyone takes for granted, and relax in the knowledge that their child is safe.



Melanie Ball of the Trust said: "Unfortunately there is no ‘solution’ to the problems that these families face. The children the we care for have been diagnosed with conditions which mean they are very likely to die before reaching their 19th birthday. We work hard to provide a better quality of life for the children and their families, thus enabling them to make the very best of the precious time that they have left. Our service makes it possible for families to have a choice in terms of where their child is cared for. With your help we can continue to make a difference”



Mike Bennett of Bristol Media said “this is the first time that Bristol Media has been in a position to support a charitable cause and we are absolutely delighted that our members voted for The Jessie May Trust. We look forward to working with them over the coming twelve months and hope to help them not only with cash raised at our events, but by raising their profile, making people in the South West more aware of the fantastic work they are doing”.

For more information about the Jessie May Trust visit www.jessiemaytrust.org.uk or call 0117 961 6840