A brave youngster’s final wish took a step closer to become reality when work on a holiday home for seriously ill children got underway last week.
Nine-year-old Sebastian Gates passed away in 2003 from a rare form of childhood cancer but had already set in motion plans to create a respite home for children just like him. Since then his mother Jane, supported by a team of volunteers, has worked tirelessly to make the dream come true and builders have begun work on a site in North Waltham.
Sebastian’s Action Trust, formed after he passed away, has said he understood just how important it is ‘to be able to spend precious time with family and loved ones, and wanted to ensure other seriously-ill children would have that opportunity for years to come.’
The house will be the first-purpose built facility of its kind and will be offered free of charge for a few days or a week at a time.
Jane, who is also Director of the Trust, said: “Creating a unique holiday home for seriously-ill children and their families has always been the primary aim of the trust. “We have battled for six and a half years to get to this point and we are absolutely delighted to be able to say that building work has actually begun.”
The new home, which will be known as The Bluebells, will be the first of its kind in the country and will be open from May 2011. Once completed, it will allow more than 100 families a year to enjoy a holiday in one of its four-bedroom self-catering apartments.
As well as this, a further 500 children will be able to access the leisure amenities which will include an indoor hydrotherapy pool, games room, home cinema, music room, wet play room and multi-sensory activities.
For more information and to support the charity, visit www.sebastiansactiontrust.org
