CIM adopt Demelza as their Charity of Choice!

Demelza (http://www.demelza.org.uk) have been adopted by the Kent Branch of the Chartered Institute of Marketing as their official charity.

Ian Lockyer, Chairman of the Kent Branch of the Chartered Institute of Marketing said “We are really pleased to make Demelza our charity for the next two years. All the staff and volunteers work extremely hard in making the lives of the children and their families both joyous and comfortable.   We are pleased to be associated with this charity and hope to raise lots of money”.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing is the leading international professional marketing body with members worldwide. First established in 1911 it defines the marketing standards that operate in the UK and is the global champion of best marketing practice.

The Institute exists to develop the marketing profession, maintain professional standards and improve the skills of marketing practitioners, enabling them to deliver exceptional results for their organizations. It does this by providing membership, qualifications and training to marketing professionals around the world.

Demelza relies heavily on corporate donations and business support from staff fundraising to sponsorship, volunteering to gifts in kind. This corporate fundraising support is vital, with the charity having to raise £3.5million a year to operate. With Corporate Social Responsibility becoming increasingly important for businesses of all sizes, Demelza works in partnership with companies to maximize charitable support.

Natalie Evans, Business Development Manager at Demelza says “ This is fantastic news for Demelza. The business community in Kent is key in supporting fundraising for Demelza, and the partnership with the CIM will allow this develop not only in terms of money raised but in raising profile and  awareness with marketing professionals through out the region”.

Demelza is an organisation providing hospice care for over 450 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families across Kent, East Sussex and South London through: 

Demelza House is an eight bedded hospice in Sittingbourne Kent, providing respite, symptom control, end-of-life care and bereavement support.  Over 300 life-limited children and their families benefit from a wide range of facilities that include a multi-sensory room, Soft Play, Jacuzzi, and The Inclusion Zone for young adults. Available therapies include music, physiotherapy and aromatherapy. The Care Team, led by children’s specialist palliative care nurses, make the most of every moment that the child spends at Demelza House. Parents have described having the opportunity of an undisturbed night’s sleep as pure luxury.  At the end of the child’s illness, we offer a comprehensive service of support using a bereavement suite - known as the Hop Garden – which enables a family to let go and say goodbye at their own pace.  We share our expertise in childhood bereavement with organisations such as the Police and the bereavement charity, CRUSE. 

Demelza-James provides a hospice at home service for over 150 children in East Sussex, South West Kent and South London with life-threatening and life-limiting illness and their families.  The service complements the care offered at Demelza House with the Demelza-James specialist paediatric nurses going directly into the family home to provide care, crisis intervention, an on-call service and respite.   The service helps enable the family to live life, as a family, in their own environment and combined with Demelza House offers flexibility in care provision. When a child reaches the end of its life Demelza-James can offer the choice of 24 hour end of life care at home. Demelza-James can provide medical help and expert advice in the home or can simply just allow Mum and Dad to be Mum and Dad again.

For further information, please contact Natalie Evans on 01795 845288 or email natalie.evans@demelza.org.uk