Jolly Josh 2nd anniversary celebration raises over £1,800

Date published: 01 October 2019

To mark the 2nd anniversary of local charity Jolly Josh, a pirate themed family fun day was held at Callaghan House, Heywood on Sunday 22 September 2019.

The event raised £902.22 for the local toddler group, which hosts weekly stay and play sessions for children with disabilities and special needs where families can meet, exchange information and create social networks with others in similar situations.

With the help of Pete and Dan from PCG Demolition Plant Hire and Kerf Developments who matched the funds raised, the total was doubled to a massive £1,804.44.

Free activities were held for all, including making telescopes, messy play, glitter tattoos, face painting, a bouncy castle and a children’s DJ and disco. Other stalls included refreshments and a chocolate tombola.

Carole Kelly, founder of Jolly Josh, said: “We have many people to thank for helping us celebrate our 2nd anniversary, our pirate themed family fun day was a huge hit!

“Thank you so very much to everyone for all of your support over the past two years. Thank you especially to our families who attend Jolly Josh and make our sessions successful.

“I have many dreams for the future of Jolly Josh; I am hopeful that we can continue to ‘Connect, Support, Thrive and Inspire Inclusion’ and hopefully develop the services which we offer to further enhance this too.

“Recognition and gratitude go to the following people/services who gave up their time voluntarily to support Jolly Josh:

• Jolly Josh Trustee Janine Parry (Fundraising Manager) and husband Kyle Parry
• Jolly Josh volunteer Event Organiser Sarah Fenton, husband Dean and Sarah's dad, Barry
• Jolly Josh Trustees
• Family and friends who volunteered their time and efforts
• Nurses and staff from Callaghan House for volunteering on the day and also for use of the building
• Just Imagine North West (Face painting)
• Ian at Bouncy Castles North West
• Lizzy 'ElizaFreemanMUA' (Glitter Tattoos)
• Terry from HADOS (DJ and equipment)
• Megan Boswell (Jolly Josh anniversary logo themed cake)
• Emily and Marie (Pirate ship cake)
• Pat from Little Hens Activities, Milnrow (refreshment donations)
• Jolly Giraffes (soft play vouchers)
• Emma Edwards, Jolly Josh parent (donations)
• Carolyn Grundy (donations)
• Boyes (craft donation voucher)
• Zoe Reynolds, Heywood Rocks (rock donations)

Carole added: “Thank you also to the Mayor and Mayoress for attending our event. It was a great opportunity for our families to meet you to discuss our children with disabilities/complex needs and the challenges we face, in addition to how Jolly Josh has 'filled the gap' supporting families in Rochdale.”

The Jolly Josh group was started in September 2017 by Carole Kelly, from Wardle, after discovering there were no groups for young disabled children in Rochdale.

In April 2017, Carole became the full-time carer for her son, Josh, who at the age of six months, was confirmed to have ‘extensive brain damage’ due to the genetic condition Mitochondrial Disease, which causes mutations in mitochondria, vital to every cell in the body.

To mark Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week (16 – 22 September), rock painting was also on hand at the family fun day, with the rocks having the hashtag #mitorocks19.

The toddler stay and play session was set up by Carole and her husband James with the hope to bring families together, provide peer to peer support, share experiences, and eliminate isolation, especially for children with disabilities and special needs throughout the borough.

Josh sadly died on 27 August 2017, just one month before his legacy, Jolly Josh, was due to begin.