Nick Hart from Hockley who works for Guy Carpenter, a Lloyd’s broker, applied for the grant on behalf of Little Havens, the charity that cared for his daughter Katie at the end of her life. Katie was 13 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer and was given just months to live. Katie sadly died two weeks after her 15th birthday in 2008 at the hospice with her family by her side.
Nick said, “During Katie’s illness she showed tremendous courage and dignity. To wake up every day knowing you have a terminal disease must have been awful, but Katie kept on smiling even through the many bad days. Little Havens were there when we needed them most. I have supported Little Havens since 1998, long before Katie was ill and I always secretly hoped it meant that I would never have to call upon their services.
“To me, a hospice meant that was it, Katie would go there, there would be lots of ill children around, it would be sad and then she would die. I was not ready for that. Then we went to look around one Sunday to have lunch and it changed my perspective. It’s a brilliant place.”
Since Katie’s death her family have been determined to carry on her legacy and set up the fundraising group ‘Friends of Katie’ in 2008 who raise money for Little Havens through various events and activities. Since 2008 the group has raised just over £146,000 for the charity.
“Fundraising for Little Havens is the most natural thing in the world to us. It’s just what we do. I am always looking for ways to raise money. I find it difficult to go back to Little Havens but I like telling all the people who have been so kind to us, and donated money in Katie’s memory, exactly where it’s gone and what it has paid for at the hospice.
“I have been lucky over the years with so many of Katie’s friends and family doing amazing things for ‘Friends of Katie’, from running marathons to baking cakes, sky diving and head shaving but this year has been so different and so hard. I managed to organise a virtual quiz in the summer and we aim to do our annual Christmas Quiz where I work, remotely, this year too.”
After winning the grant Nick said, “After applying for the £25,000 I didn’t expect to be successful as I has already won a grant of £2,000 for Little Havens in 2017 through the same scheme. I was shocked and didn’t expect to be successful again. After all there are so many other worthy causes especially in these difficult times.”
Tanya King, Philanthropy Manager at Havens Hospices said: “The past few months have been difficult for the charity with an average of 41% of our fundraising income lost due to the cancellation of our public fundraising events which raise hundreds of thousands of pounds each year. We can’t thank Nick enough for applying for this grant and for all the incredible support ‘Friends of Katie’ has given to Little Havens over the years and a huge thank you also to Lloyds of London’s Charities Trust for their very generous donation. This will make such a difference and help us continue ‘Making every day count’ for everyone we care for by providing palliative nursing and supportive care to babies, young people and their families with complex or incurable conditions across Essex.”
The Lloyd’s Market Charity Awards is a long-standing scheme that aims to recognise and celebrate the voluntary and fundraising work of individuals from across the Lloyd’s market.
Over the past ten years, it has awarded over £900,000 to the nominated charities of over 350 individuals in the Lloyd’s market. This year was even bigger than previous years where the trust offered donations of up to £25,000 to be awarded to 30 charities in direct response to the significant funding gap that charities are facing during the COVID-19 crisis.
To find out more about ‘Friends of Katie’, visit friendsofkatie.co.uk.
Published 23rd October 2020
