Momentum Children’s Charity own three holiday homes as part of their respite services. They are there to allow families with seriously ill children the opportunity to spend time together away from hospitals and gruelling treatments, somewhere that is safe, family friendly and made for making happy memories.

“As we weren’t able to offer family stays over the pandemic, we decided it was the perfect time to focus on the magical memories that had been made there instead, asking our families to suggest new names for each of the cabins that really meant something to them.” explains Marissa, Marketing Manager.

As soon as the entrants started rolling in, it was clear how much the respite holiday homes meant for the many families who’d had the chance to stay in them. For the charity and the families involved, it also gave them something positive to focus on; a day when the respite services would reopen and this time with brand new names.  

“Our respite services are such a huge part of what we do.” explains Sophie, Family Support Co-ordinator.

93% of families who’ve been on one our respite breaks believe it’s helped to strengthen family relationships, at a time when life is incredibly strained. It’s been so important to us to get them back up and running and the new names, which we know mean so much, have been the icing on the cake.

In the end, the winning names – which came from two families, George and Lois’s – were ‘Mo’s Sunset Lagoon’ in Church Farm, Pagham and ‘Mo’s Pebble Lodge’ and ‘Mo’s Keep’ at Shorefield Holiday Park, in the New Forest, with each family being invited back to be the first at the reopening, and to see their winning names adorning the cabin fronts.

“Lois had so many ideas for names.” explains Lois’s mum ‘She’s so happy that hers were some of the ones chosen. Mo’s Pebble Lodge came from how much she loves painting pebbles down there, as clearly many other children do when they stay.

Mo’s Keep came from Lois remembering that the ‘Keep’ is the safest place in a castle and she said the cabin felt like a safe place to be.

Lois’s mum

The charity is thrilled to be able to offer their full suite of respite services again and are looking ahead to making sure even more families with seriously ill children can enjoy precious time away together, just like George’s.   

It’s lovely to do something as a family – which can be hard for us to manage when George is in and out of hospital. To hear them all laughing together; just being brother and sisters and not worrying about anything is priceless.

George’s mum