Toddles bring in oodles for Josie

Dec 7 2007 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

A CHARITY fund set up in memory of a North-East teenager who lost her battle with leukaemia has received another cash boost.

Hexham Community Centre Parent and Toddler Group has raised £1,600 in aid of the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund, the charity set up after the 16-year-old from Corbridge, Northumberland, lost her two-year battle with the condition in February.

The toddlers took part in two sponsored mini-walks from Gilesgate, where they are based, to the bandstand in the Sele Park.

Committee member Kate Combe said: “We do a sponsored toddle every year. It was a very obvious cause to choose this time because Josie was such an amazing girl.

“She was so young with such an amazing smile and people really responded to her.”

Yesterday Josie’s mother Jacqui said: “I was really touched because the children are around about (her younger brother) Charlie’s age. It’s nice to think of them all doing their little toddle and they made dragonflies to take around with them which was really sweet. They also gave us a book with all the children’s handprints in, which was really touching.”

So far the fund has raised £125,000 and Josie’s family are aiming to reach £300,000 for the end of next year. Her parents are putting all their efforts into Josie’s Dragonfly Trust, which has just been made a recognised charity. It is hoped the money will enable the charity to give a cash gift of £500 to every child suffering from an incurable form of the disease in all 23 hospitals which specialise in cancer care for youngsters.

Mrs Grove added: “It has just been amazing. When we started off, we didn’t realise how much the fund would make a difference for people, especially for the people whose treatment hasn’t worked.”