A Cumbrian charity that provides respite breaks for seriously ill children and their loved ones and families impacted by bereavement, has been given a £25,000 boost.
The cash comes from Omaze, the firm which raffles off multi-million-pound houses across the UK.
The funding is enough to cover around 25 breaks provided in 2025 by Alice’s Escapes, launched in 2012 by terminally ill teenager Alice Pyne.
It has already supported hundreds of families during some of the toughest times of their lives.
Holidays are bespoke to each family and their needs, and may include cottage stays in the Lake District, theatre trips to London, and theme park experiences.
Alice’s mum Vicky Pennington-Pyne, who described running the charity as a lifeline since her daughter’s death aged 17 in January 2013, said the funding from Omaze would make a huge difference for families in need.
Vicky, 56, of Ulverston, said: “This will have a massive impact on the work we do. It’s incredible. The funding from Omaze will not only make a huge difference to the 25 families whose breaks are covered in 2025, but it will mean we can build towards where we want to be in the future.
“It’s an amazing amount of money to receive, and we’re hugely grateful to everyone at Omaze for their support.”
James Oakes, president of Omaze, said: “We’re delighted to support Vicky and her team in the phenomenal work they do with children and families facing such challenging circumstances. We hope everyone who benefits from a respite break in 2025 will find some comfort and moments of joy through their experience.”
Alice, who won a Pride of Britain Award in 2012, and was also awarded British Empire Medal alongside her sister Milly, came up with the idea for the charity after learning her illness was terminal.
Vicky said: “She was frustrated by all the formalities around her illness, and she said to me one day, ‘We just need to escape all this’.
“That’s where the ‘escape’ came from. She said, ‘Is this what it’s like for everybody? So, there’s nothing else? You just get told how good or bad you are, and then you’re just waiting?’ She felt there had to be more.”
Alice’s idea started out with a dream to provide caravan breaks for families.
“She always wanted to stay in a caravan, which is funny because she’d been on ski holidays and cruises, but she wanted a caravan holiday, so we went on one nearby in the Lake District,” said Vicky.
“It was kindly donated by one of Alice’s followers online and while she only managed a night because she was taken back into hospital, it was enough for her to say, ‘Oh wow, wouldn’t it be good if we had some caravans and we could arrange little escapes to so people could just get away from it all?’”
The family set their sights on raising enough funds for a caravan, something they achieved through challenges including a cycle from Land’s End to John o’Groats and a trek on Mount Kilimanjaro.
“We realised that yes, we could do this,” said Vicky. “We formed a panel of trustees and started to make things more formal. Our first holiday was arranged for the summer of 2012.”
Since her daughter’s death 12 years ago, Vicky has thrown herself into the charity, providing invaluable respite breaks for almost 500 families in need so far.
Until last year, Alice’s Escapes provided breaks in its own caravans, but has since changed its model, arranging breaks for families from across the north of England and beyond to suit their individual needs.
“We’ve found that third party accommodation actually gives families more freedom,” says Vicky, who is supported by fellow trustees, daughter Milly and treasurer Alex McDonough.
“Whether that’s to be in the middle of nowhere if their child is in a position to go away, or to go somewhere closer to a hospital if they need that back up. So we can offer cottages in the Lakes, a hotel down the road from home, a trip to Harry Potter World or a theatre trip to London. Anything really, whatever works best for each child.”
“Alice left us all little letters before she died. I had a whole series of them, which were just beautiful. She said she didn’t want me to be sad, that she wanted me to carry on with the charity, for all the other Alices, all the other children, in a similar position.
“It literally became a lifeline for me, the thing that’s kept me going. I think she knew it would be.”
Josiah, 14, who is being treated for a brain tumour, was on an Alice’s Escapes break in the Lake District last month.
He said: “When I heard about Alice’s Escapes I was really excited. Being able to go to the Lake District was a nice contrast from constantly going to the hospital and having treatment. I really like nature and being outdoors so it’s been a really nice experience to come as a family.”
For more information about Alice’s Escapes, visit the website here.
