Verwood House (A Rotary Corporate member) held an Easter Egg Hunt to raise money in support of Julia’s House. Verwood Rotary donated £100 from our charity account to help purchase the Easter Eggs, all proceeds going to support the cause:
Julia’s House is an award-winning children’s hospice charity that provides a vital lifeline for families in Dorset and Wiltshire. Unlike a traditional hospice that might focus solely on end-of-life care, Julia’s House is designed to support families throughout the entire journey of caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition. Their Dorset hospice is located in Corfe Mullen, though much of their “outstanding” care is delivered directly in the community and in families’ homes.
The charity was born from the vision of Julia Perks, a pediatric nurse who saw firsthand the exhaustion and isolation faced by parents of seriously ill children. Although Julia passed away before she could see her dream realised, her friend Mike Wise founded the charity in 2003 in her memory. Today, the organisation offers a bespoke range of services, including frequent respite care, emergency end-of-life support, and specialised sibling groups, all provided free of charge to the families who need them.
What makes Julia’s House particularly remarkable is its reliance on the local community; the charity receives only a tiny fraction of its funding from the government. This means that nearly all of its life-changing work—from medical nursing to bereavement counselling—is funded by public donations, legacies, and its network of charity shops. Their goal is simple but profound: to ensure that no family has to face the heartbreak of caring for a seriously ill child alone.