Young people volunteer time to help Hayling Island charity

The 15 to 17-year-olds spent two weeks at Hannah's Holiday Home Appeal as part of the National Citizen Service project.

Set up in memory of Hannah who died from cancer in 2004 aged 10, the Hayling Island charity gives families with seriously ill children a break from treatment and the chance to enjoy time together.

During their time with the charity, the group from NCS helped clean the caravans and tidy them up. They also spent time raising money through a sponsored walk and cake sale.

Lucy Grist, 16, was one of the six volunteers who gave a helping hand. She said: '˜We knew of Hannah and thought it would be a good idea to fundraise for the charity.

'˜NCS boosts confidence and you make loads of friends.

'˜It's a way to come together and feel like you're giving something back.

'˜When you fundraise for them you feel rewarded.

'˜During the week we did a beach clean, cake sale at The Meridian in Havant and a sponsored walk from Havant to Emsworth.

'˜We also helped out with an event on Saturday before starting at Hannah's Appeal, separate from NCS done in our own time.

'˜We managed to raise £350 in total for Hannah's Appeal from the fundraising over the week.'

Hannah's mum Pam Marshall, from Horndean, started the charity in 2006 and it has grown to now have three holiday homes on Hayling Island, in Oakdene and Milford-on-Sea.

During her illness Hannah continued with family and friends to fund raise for the Piam Brown Ward, the children's cancer ward based at Southampton General Hospital, raising over £10,000 in just three years.

The 49-year-old said: '˜Hannah loved holidays and tried to organise them.

'˜We bought a holiday home in the New Forest and contacted hospitals for families to come and stay.

'˜Since then we now have three holiday homes and helped 152 families last year.

'˜Mondays and Fridays are our busiest days because the homes need to be industrially cleaned for the kids.

'˜The group from NCS turned up and cleaned the bathrooms, the shed and got rid of the cobwebs.'