LIVE for the Now is a focus of Children’s Hospice Week for Chestnut Tree House.

The national week runs from May 21-27 and is all about remembering that life’s short and recognising the importance of making moments that matter.

To coincide with this, Chestnut Tree House, based near Arundel, is highlighting its focus to help local children with life-shortening conditions, and their families, live For the Now.

Making every moment count is done in many ways by Chestnut Tree House by:

- providing safe spaces for carefree fun and laughter

- helping parents and carers find time for themselves

- and supporting families in their final moments together.

A hospice spokesman said: “On a visit to Chestnut Tree House, kids might be an astronaut in the multi-sensory room, discover creepy crawlies on a woodland walk, or make their own band in the music room.

“With the help of the Community Nursing Team, children can go out to explore the local community, visit the local park, or play games at home.”

Chestnut Tree House has been supporting 12 year-old Charlie and his family for five years, helping them make every moment count and ensuring they can spend quality time together.

Charlie has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, both as a result of being born at 32 weeks, but his parents Mary and Russ say that this doesn’t stop him doing anything and having a happy childhood.

On visits to Chestnut Tree House, Charlie loves playing the Xbox and spending time in the music room, where he can make different sounds on the drums and piano.

For his dad, Russ, one of the best things about Chestnut Tree House is that “everybody knows Charlie.

He said: “They know his strong points and what he likes to do. It’s the one place where he feels totally relaxed, as he can go and do his own thing.

“Charlie describes Chestnut Tree House as fun and friendly and he has made lots of new friends.”