If you go out in the woods today, in Manly, NSW, you will come across a very special place indeed – Bear Cottage. An initiative of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Bear Cottage is a home away from home for families with special needs kids, where their mums and dads and siblings can enjoy some time together with that extra support.
Since 2001, Bear Cottage offers support, respite and end-of-life care for children with life-limiting conditions, and provides their families with a warm, homelike environment.
Our involvement with Bear Cottage began last year, and it was such defining moment to meet the people who provide the care for these beautiful kids and their families. Our fabulous subbies and suppliers felt the same, and soon enough, we had a whole team armed and ready to build, fix up and do whatever it took for the success of the annual Bear Cottage Working Bee.
This year, we’re excited to be back! And with thanks to our generous supply partners – Joanne from Hardware & General who has donated all materials; Woodstone Kitchens who will have us cooking with gas; and Wright Wiring who will have us wired up for great things – and our fabulous tradies, we’re ready to help the wonderful people who make Bear Cottage the place it is.
And if you’d like to donate to the ONLY children’s hospice in all of NSW providing respite and end-of-life care for terminally ill children and their families, check out Bear Cottage’s website.
Delivering medically ‘home away from home’ support, with 24-hour round the clock excellence in paediatric palliative care, Bear Cottage feels more like a warm family home than a hospital ward, and that’s its very intention. It takes hundreds of volunteers and $4 million per year to run this place, so every contribution you make will help make the lives of these dear kids and their families that bit easier.
Check out the video shot by talented cinematographer Simon Watts and discover Bear Cottage and the people you’ll be helping
And you can get involved with Superhero week at the end of July! Register and get your cape on to join in the fundraising fun to support the Bear Cottage Superheroes who work their magic every day. Details can be found here
From our family to yours, a massive thank you!
Mark and Catherine Romeo and all the team at The Perfect Space