The Charlie and Carter Foundation receive £1,000 donation from The Dunes in South Shields

The Charlie and Carter Foundation (CCF), founded by parents Sarah and Chris Cookson, were thrilled to received a cheque for £1,000 from The Dunes.

The charity was set up after Sarah and Chris who lost both their children, Charlie and Carter. The foundation helps to support parents with seriously ill children.

The Dunes managed to raise the funds through a number of ways during the festive period. Some of the initiatives includes Christmas Jumper Day, Santa visits and allowing customers to donate £1 to the charity when making online bookings.

Sarah Cookson, Director of The Charlie & Carter Foundation said: “We are so grateful for the money that has been raised. The money will be a massive help to our CCF families as it will help them financially with things like gas and electric bills.”

Throughout the pandemic it has been difficult for the charity to do regular fundraisers, so donations from local businesses has been a big help to the charity and its service users.

Kenneth Reader, Operations Manager at The Dunes chose the charity because of its local connection and the amazing work Sarah and Chris do.

"It’s remarkable how this couple still find the strength to help other children and their families after losing their two boys. They truly deserve all the money the charity receives as they do such a good job for the local community.”

The Dunes has committed to raise as much money as possible for the charity this year by hosting a number of events and initiatives.

The Charlie and Carter Foundation raises awareness of the difficulties faced by parents and carers who care for seriously ill children and strives to improve the quality of life of sick and seriously ill children by providing information, advice and support

The foundation was created in 2013 after Charlie's parents spent two and half years fighting for a better quality of life for their son.

The couple had to reduce their working hours to care for Charlie full-time and know only too well how difficult it can be coping with the stresses and strains of everyday life on top of caring for a seriously ill child.

When their worst nightmare came true and Charlie passed away, they set up the Charlie Cookson Foundation in his honour to offer financial support to families of children with serious illnesses.

Tragedy then struck the couple again in 2018 when they lost their second child, Carter, who died at just three weeks old after being born with a heart condition.

Chris was given and MBE in recognition of the charity’s work in the New Year Honours.

Speaking at the time, he said: “This is not just about me. Sarah carried and gave birth to our boys which is something as a man I can never experience what it must have been like. We set up the Foundation together and have always done this side by side – fifty fifty. This award is recognition for me and Sarah.”

Support your Gazette and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters.

Your support for our journalism means we can continue telling South Tyneside’s stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe - and click here to get a snapshot of the Gazette’s news and sport to your inbox through our email newsletters.