Lancaster hospice children’s centre finds support from Morecambe Football Club

Instead of finding a sponsor, the Morecambe Girls team ran, cycled and swam 100 miles in 10 days to raise the money to buy their own training kit. This meant they could choose a charity to donate the sponsorship space on their kits to.

Coaches suggested the girls choose a charity that supports children locally, and the Forget Me Not Centre at St John’s Hospice was chosen.

The girls received their kits at the purpose built Forget Me Not Centre, and were taken on a tour to learn about how the staff and volunteers help bereaved families from Morecambe to Sedbergh, Grasmere to Garstang.

Team captain, 11-year-old Ava-Rose, said: “We need new match kits and training kits every two years, and this time our parents and coaches challenged us to raise it ourselves.

"When we heard about the centre we thought it would be great to help. The Forget Me Not Centre is a really nice place and visiting made us realise there should always be somewhere like this for families to go to when they need it.”

She added: “The new training kit is one of my favourites, the stripy socks remind us of Dennis the Menace! We’re looking forward to wearing our new Forget Me Not Centre coats over the winter!”

Rachael Makinson from the Forget Me Not Centre said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to meet the girls and talk to them about what we do here and out in the community.

"We are so proud to have their support! What we do here is about helping children after they have been bereaved, as well as opening up conversations and helping children process complicated emotions to prepare them for the future as well.

“Hopefully with more people seeing the Forget Me Not Centre on these great kits, we will reach more children and families who may need our help. I’m so impressed with the girls’ passion and dedication, and I am so excited to work with them again in the future!”