Donation to the Children’s Burns Summer Camp

We are pleased to announce that the Essex Division of the Red Cross of Constantine has been honoured by the Grand Sovereign with a generous £2,500 donation from his Care for Children Fund. This fund supports charities and organisations whose work is directly dedicated to the welfare and care of children.

After careful consideration, we have chosen to direct this donation to the Children’s Burns Summer Camp at the Grafham Water Centre in Perry, Cambridgeshire. The camp is organised and run entirely by unpaid volunteers who provide a week‑long holiday for children who have suffered burn injuries. It offers a safe, supportive environment where young people can meet others who truly understand their anxieties, traumas, and daily challenges.

Here, they find companionship without judgement and the opportunity to build friendships that often last a lifetime. The camp also helps children develop confidence, resilience, and coping strategies as the children come to terms with permanent scarring and unkind comments they may face from their peers. Our support for the Burns Summer Camp marks the launch of the Intendant General’s Community Support Campaign, an initiative designed to unite and strengthen the charitable efforts of all our Conclaves. 

Intendant General for Essex - the Rev. Martin Howse is pictured here presenting the Grand Sovereign's cheque to David Webster, Chief Organiser of the Camp; a serving Fire Officer who has dedicated his time to helping children aged from 5 to 18 to learn how to cope with their burns and disabilities 

Donation to George’s Rockstars

Donation to George’s Rockstars

At the Divisional Conclave meeting the W.Kt’s of the Division of Hampshire and Isle of Wight made a donation of £500 to George’s Rockstars. The Intendant General, R.Ill.Kt. Steven Groeger, subsequently met with Amy O’Shaughnessy, the charity’s co-founder, to present them with a cheque.

The Intendant General learned more about the charity’s excellent work and discovered that additional equipment was required to provide assistance to the sick children. He therefore made a petition to the Grand Sovereign’s Care for Children Fund which was very pleased to agree to provide a donation of £2500.

This donation has enabled the charity to purchase:

* Reconditioned iPads for three music therapists to use music-making apps such as GarageBand
* A specialist controller for children with limited dexterity, which will make music therapy more accessible at the Bluebells
* Ukuleles for hospital music trolleys, bringing music and smiles to children on the wards

The Deputy Intendant General , Ill. Kt Mark Denton and W. Kt. Paul Hill joined the Intendant General, R. Ill.Kt. Steven Groeger to present Amy O’Shaughnessy, George’s mother, with the cheque.

This support will enable the charity to continue bringing the power of music to children facing serious illness, disability and mental health challenges in hospital.

The mission of George’s Rockstars is to make children facing serious illness, disability and mental health crises in hospitals smile through the power of music. The Intendant General spoke with Amy about the positive impact of music therapy on children across several hospitals in the area and their plan to expand and provide music therapy sessions in hospitals in Dorset.

Donation to Abby's Heroes

Donation to Abby's Heroes

Abby’s Heroes charity was established to support children and their families, including bereaved families, who are under the care of the Piam Brown and Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) wards at Southampton General Hospital. The charity provides financial and practical assistance as well as the opportunity to create lasting memories for the children and their families.

The charity approached the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine in Hampshire and Isle of Wight to request a grant from the Grand Sovereign’s Care for Children Fund towards the purchase of Welfare Packs for newly diagnosed children’s parents. These packs provide urgent relief during the early weeks of hospital stays.

The Welfare Packs include gift cards for M&S and Costa outlets located at the hospital and a 14-day car park ticket for the hospital car park.

Although modest in the context of a childhood cancer diagnosis, these packs serve as a gesture of compassion, flexibility and humanity, offering comfort, choice and care precisely where and when it is most needed.

Parents often spend extended periods on the ward, sometimes unexpectedly. Gift cards and hospital parking alleviate a small financial and mental burden at a time when energy, focus and resilience are already strained.

The Grand Sovereign’s Care for Children Fund committee reviewed the application and approved a donation of £2000.

The Intendant General R.Ill.Kt. Steven Groeger and the Deputy Intendant General Ill. Kt. Mark Denton visited Park Gate, Southampton to present the cheque to David Fawcett, the charity’s Community Fundraiser. David provided further information stating that this generous donation will assist the charity in purchasing approximately 20 Welfare Packs for the families.