Families of children with a life-limiting illness will be able to enjoy a much-needed holiday thanks to a fun-day being organised by a Newton Abbot charity.

The Stanley Beau Foundation will use money raised from the event on Sunday June 29 to provide holidays and short breaks for children with a life-limiting illness and their families.

The charity has exclusive hire of a specially adapted lodge at Finlake, near Chudleigh.

Funds will also be used to provide holidays for bereaved families at Lady’s Mile Holiday Park in Dawlish.

The lodge and hot tub breaks cost around £1200 per week and the charity has provided over 85 holidays since it was set up.

The Stanley Beau Foundation was founded five years ago in memory of Stanley Murphy, who died in June 2019 at the age of four after suffering from a rare genetic condition called Tay-Sachs disease.

Stanley’s mum, Emma Murphy, wanted to help other families of children with life-limiting conditions by providing them with the chance to spend some time together.

‘Sometimes, just to be a normal family together for a few days, without the professionals visiting and without hospital visits, can be enough to stave off the overwhelm of living with a child with a life-limiting illness,’ she explained.

As well as providing short breaks, the Stanley Beau Foundation operates a telephone support line offering comfort and advice to families.

This will be the charity’s second fun day. Last year’s event raised nearly £5000.

Eventually, Emma hopes the charity can raise enough money to buy its own purpose-built respite house or lodge, which will also include a day centre, with a hydro pool, sensory room and gardens.

The Family Fun Day takes place between 11am and 4pm on Sunday June 29 at the Newton Abbot Rec Centre. Entertainment includes inflatables, stalls, live music and animal encounters.