Pembrokeshire County Council approves Celtic Freeport full business case
THE Harriet Davis Trust is a charity that provides affordable holidays for severely disabled and terminally ill children and their families at four specially adapted properties (three in Tenby, one in Narberth). The charity was formed in 1992 and named after Harriet, a little girl with a rare degenerative disease who was unable to speak and had lost her motor abilities. Her parents had brought her to Tenby for seaside holidays but found them extremely challenging due to the lack of suitable accommodation.
Harriet had loved these holidays but sadly passed away aged eleven years. Her parents Kit and John Davis formed the charity in honour of their brave little girl. Kit is still a Trustee of the charity.
The properties offer a high level of equipment including therapy pool, mobile hoists, lifts, profile beds, specialist kitchens and bathrooms. In some of the gardens there is a 'memory meadow' to remember children that have passed away. Trust Administrator Susie Shales said "We often welcome families with children that are profoundly disabled or have life-limiting illnesses who have never had a holiday due to their restricted financial circumstances, and others who only have a few weeks or months left with their loved one and are desperate to make their final memories together".
Like most charities, the Trust had a difficult time during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, and more recently have been faced with costly but essential structural repairs to two of the properties.
As there was a desperate need to replace and improve some of their equipment, Susie wrote to Steve Thurgood, who is the Charity Steward for the Mark Masons of Dyfed, to ask if any financial assistance could be offered. The Dyfed Mark Masons belong to an order of Freemasonry and meet in lodges across West Wales. Almost GBP6,700 was required to buy specialised profile mattresses for all of the properties to replace the current 10 years old stock, plus two Careflex chairs which allow disabled guests to be hoisted into the chair, giving welcome relief from being constantly in their wheelchair.
As the amount requested was substantial, Steve approached the Charity Manager of the Mark Benevolent Fund (M.B.F.) based in London which is the central UK charitable fund for the Mark Masons. Steve was advised to instruct Susie to submit a detailed application to the M.B.F for their consideration, and much to the delight of Steve and the Harriet Davis Trust team, the application was approved within a week of submission!
It was duly arranged for two M.B.F. Trustees to travel to the Ivy Bush hotel in Carmarthen and join the Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Province of Dyfed, Gary Hicks and members of his team in presenting representatives of the Harriet Davis Trust with a 'big cheque'.
Trust manager Carol Lincoln and Administrator Susie Shales attended, and Carol gave a slideshow presentation on the work of the Trust and spoke passionately about the difficulties facing parents of disabled and sick children, and the relief and enjoyment the seaside holidays provide. She expressed her deep gratitude to the M.B.F. for their compassion and for the speed of their generous assistance. Correspondingly, the M.B.F.
Trustees Derek Thomas and David Powell eloquently explained the purpose of the M.B.F, the wide range of charities they support, and the criteria for a successful application. Gary Hicks expressed his thanks to Derek and David for making the long drive to Carmarthen, and for adding so much to the presentation. He also thanked the many Dyfed Mark members who had come from various parts of West Wales to support him on this special and rare occasion.
Coffee and a light lunch was provided for all and a very pleasant afternoon it was!. Pictured above : L to R: M.B.F. Trustee Derek Thomas, Trust Manager Carol Lincoln, Dyfed Provincial Grand Charity Steward Steve Thurgood, Dyfed Provincial Grand Master Gary Hicks, Trust Administrator Susie Shales and M.B.F.
Trustee David Powell
