Donors hit £100,000 to help New Forest’s young carers

GENEROUS donors helped exceed a £100,000 fundraising target set by a charity supporting young carers in the New Forest during a week-long campaign.

The nationwide Big Give Christmas Challenge 2020, held over the first seven days of December, saw Honeypot Children’s Charity inundated with contributions from 368 individuals, along with five match-funders including the Childhood Trust.

The money will go towards continuing efforts to help isolated carers aged between five and 12 years old, with 2,500 places in new support services.

A challenging year brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic has seen the charity forced to temporarily close its two residential respite houses, including Honeypot House just outside Blackfield. The other is at Pen y Bryn in Wales.

But services were adapted, with weekend and holiday online activity workshops and Zoom sessions proving very successful.

Viv Carter, Honeypot’s community fundraising officer, said: “So many individuals, schools and community groups have donated to help us achieve this amazing result, including Walhampton School, Fernhill Friends (New Milton), the Jam Tarts and Inner Wheel clubs.

“2021 will be an exciting year for Honeypot. We will be celebrating our 25th anniversary and can’t wait to welcome our young carers back for their residential breaks and fill Honeypot House with laughter again.”

Since its launch in 1996, the charity has provided residential respite breaks and outreach support to thousands of young carers, with 327 Honeypot children living in Hampshire.

Its new support services include three-day residential respite breaks and outreach playdays/trips which are set to resume when restrictions allow.

There are also online activity workshops, educational breaks in conjunction with local schools and a wellbeing fund to buy essential items to help reduce young carers’ stress and worry.