If you are passionate about either of these two brilliant charities, Christchurch Carnival would welcome anyone to get in touch regarding volunteering with them as marshals, bucketeers or helping to organise the event. You can get in touch via Carnival@ChristchurchCarnival.co.uk
Charity Partners 2026
MYTIME supports young carers who care for a loved one with an illness, disability or mental health challenges. MYTIME focus on giving young carers time just to be children again, as well as practical support that helps them build confidence, resilience and hope for the future.
Caring responsibilities can affect a child’s life in complex and far-reaching ways, each young carer has unique needs, at different stages of life. That’s why MYTIME offer a range of bespoke programmes, each carefully designed to Address a different area of need and to provide a different kind of support, with incredible benefits.
Every donation directly supports activities and programmes designed to reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and open up opportunities beyond their caring role.
For example, a £50 donation enables a young carer to attend one of our “Making Memories” days. These days give young carers a rare chance to relax, have fun, and connect with others who understand their situation – whether that’s through trips, creative activities or outdoor experiences. For many, this is the only time they get to step away from responsibility, reset emotionally, and simply enjoy being a child.
A £500 donation could fund a place on our employability programme. These courses support older young carers to build confidence, explore future aspirations, and develop skills that help them move into education, training or employment. This kind of support is vital in helping young carers envision and succeed in a life beyond caring.
Macmillan Caring Locally is a small, independent charity based at Christchurch Hospital in Dorset. The charity funds specialist palliative and end-of-life care for people within our community who are suffering from a life-threatening illness, either at home or in the hospice.
The Macmillan Unit supports 12 in-patient beds and there are approximately 2,200 referrals to the service every year. The charity also funds a team of Clinical Nurse Specialists who are permanently based at The Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
Palliative care focuses on preventing and easing suffering by identifying needs early and providing accurate assessment and treatment of pain, along with addressing physical,emotional, psychological, and spiritual concerns. The charity funds a Patient and Family Support Team, Rehabilitation Team, Complementary Therapy, Welfare and Benefit Advice and Chaplaincy Services.
The Macmillan Unit Hospice at Home Team provide essential care and support in the comfort of patients’ homes. Families are able to make the most of precious moments together, and achieve their wish of dying in their own home.
Macmillan Caring Locally’s operational costs are over £1.8 million a year which fund the extensive services provided by our dedicated team. To sustain and expand the Hospice at Home service, it costs a further £500k a year.
Past Charity Partners
JULIA’S HOUSE CHILDREN'S HOSPICE
Julia’s House, cares for some of Dorset’s most seriously ill children, many of whom have rare or life-limiting conditions and will not survive into adulthood. The charity’s team of dedicated nurses and carers provide essential clinical and respite care, support parents practically and emotionally and offer a listening ear to worried and anxious siblings. Its flexible care caters to the needs of the whole family and may take place in their home, out and about in the community or at the Dorset hospice located in Corfe Mullen.
Julia’s House is one of the lowest funded hospices in the country – receiving just 8% Government funding. Caring for 143 families across Dorset & Wiltshire. Martin Edwards, Julia’s House CEO, outlined some of the challenges the hospice is facing: “We are seeing more children with complex needs now. More than 80 per cent of our children require two care staff members to be with them at any time. It’s an intensive process. We also continue to care for the entire family, supporting them for up to five years after bereavement.”
Julia’s House is set for an exciting, prominent year in Christchurch, the launch of the Tail Trail supported by Christchurch BID & Christchurch Town Council, will start in April with an interactive trail of large and small scale mermaid tails at sites across BCP. Local schools like The Priory C of E Primary School have been involved in creating designs for the mermaid tails, you will be able to see some of the tails in Christchurch from 5th April – 1st June 2025.
If you would like more information about the services Julia’s House offer, or if you are interested in volunteering with them, please check out their website for more details.
Julia’s House Children’s Hospice received a cheque for £2035.91
CHRISTCHURCH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
Christchurch Community Partnership (CCP) is a small charity with a big vision; to end social isolation for adults in Christchurch. Loneliness and isolation can affect any age group, however, older people, particularly those with health conditions or caring responsibilities, are more likely to be affected. Over the last 12 months Christchurch Community Partnership has received over 200 referrals from local organisations such as GP surgeries, NHS mental health teams and housing associations. Making CCP the ‘go to’ organisation to refer vulnerable older people to in the local area.
Our committee chair, Viv Charrett explains why CCP was chosen “We were particularly impressed with how CCP connects and engages with other businesses and organisations in the local area, like Wiseguys in Purewell who are a host for the coffee connections sessions. This type of working, better serves the whole community, breaking down barriers and increasing inclusion.”
CCP delivers a range of social activities and events that allow people to enjoy good company, meals together or a hot drink. These include the hugely popular Sunday roasts, weekday lunch clubs, day trips and seated exercise classes. Initiatives like the ‘helpful neighbours’ lend a hand with practical tasks at home, including providing support with completing formal documents like attendance allowance which can be stressful and daunting.
“To be chosen as a charity partner by Christchurch Carnival is a real game changer for us. Being linked to such a prominent community event will help put our services firmly on the map in the area. Thank you to everyone at Christchurch Carnival for choosing us and helping us to tackle the social isolation challenges in our community, allowing us to reach more people in Christchurch than ever before.” Sandra Prudom CEO Christchurch Community Partnership
If you would like more information about the services Christchurch Community Partnership offer, or if you are interested in volunteering with them, please check out their website for more details.
Christchurch Community Partnership received a cheque for £2371.91
2024 Charity Partners
Hengistbury Head Outdoors is a charitable community benefit society set up in 2023 to operate the Hengistbury Head Outdoor Education Centre (HHOEC) in Christchurch Harbour for and on behalf of the local community.
HHO mission is to sympathetically rejuvenate the former site, creating a sustainable, innovative yet tranquil space for the whole community to participate in all forms of outdoor activity, provided by volunteers as well as in partnership with professional bodies and organisations.
Hengistbury Head Outdoors received a cheque for £1,890
“We are so grateful to have been chosen as one of Christchurch Carnivals charities [in 2024]. It was a real joy to be so involved across the whole of the Carnival weekend and to have that opportunity to share our ambitions more widely across our local community. There was such a great atmosphere and sense of enjoyment, with so many all coming together.’’ Becs Vince, HHO Director
“This donation will make a big difference in helping us get some basic amenities in place during the early stages of getting the centre open again for all to enjoy and benefit from.’’
If you would like more information about HHO, or if you are interested in volunteering with them, please check out their website for more details.
Pink Champagne Breast Cancer Survivors Dragon Boat Team
This team was established in 2008 by a group of breast cancer patients, in collaboration with the breast cancer team at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and a team of exercise therapists. Pink Champagne train along the river Stour every Saturday morning throughout the year, and also on a Monday evening from Easter to October.
“The upper body exercise is so beneficial to body and soul. It also proves that you can enjoy a good life after the initial diagnosis and treatment.” Ann Scovell of Pink Champagne. “Our mission is a lot more than just raising awareness of breast cancer, it is also to provide support and encouraging individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to lead full and active lives whilst having fun with fellow survivors”
Pink Champagne received a cheque for £2,708
“It was truly a wonderful opportunity for us to promote Dragon Boating after having had Breast Cancer. Pink Champagne was blown away by the enthusiasm of the volunteer group of the people involved with organising Christchurch Carnival. This inspired us to do our very best to support them.”
If you would like more information about Pink Champagne, or on how to join, please check out their website for more details.
The Listening Ear
The Listening Ear is a local charity providing counselling support for children and young people aged 5-19 throughout the BCP area since 2003. They have been working within schools and youth centres in partnership with BCP council since 2012.
Timely intervention has been proven to help children and young people in times of need. Counselling is a way to provide them with the right tools to manage issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harming, low esteem, as well as many other concerns.
The Listening Ear received a cheque for £1,913
“6 sessions is the standard amount of counselling offered by most other providers, at the Listening Ear we go beyond that by offering a minimum of 9 weeks, with the flexibility to offer more if needed” Anita Weldon, Charity Director/Counsellor CYP, The Listening Ear “this donation will fund essential counselling sessions for 5 more children from Christchurch”
