The concept of The New Forest Craft Market group on Facebook is to provide the local community with the opportunity to support local crafters and small businesses who in turn contribute towards local charities.
Sellers on the New Forest Craft Market group pay a small monthly fee to display their wares. These fees are then divided between a local primary school and one small local charity or fundraising organisation each month. Schools and charities are allocated funds on a rotation basis (not just once).
Our first Charity in March will be Batten Fighters Forever.
To find out more about Batten disease please read the following message from my friend Lisa Hover.
Andy and I have four wonderful children, all born beautiful and healthy.
Aiden, Annabelle, Georgie & Robbie.
Annabelle, from the age of 6 started to have sight problems, and lost all her sight by age 10.
After years of many hospital appointments involving lots of tests, Annabelle (aged 11) received the diagnosis of Juvenile Batten disease (cln3). We tested her younger siblings and discovered that her brother Robbie, showing no symptoms at all, also tested positive for the same disease.
Batten disease is a neurological degenerative condition. The children will develop thinking difficulties, will lose their motor skills and become bed bound. It is life limiting. There is no cure and the prognosis is always the same - a premature death.
We wanted to raise awareness of this rare disease and share our story, and that is why we created Batten Fighters Forever.
Batten Fighters Forever is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) focussed on increasing awareness and raising funds to support the treatment and care of people with Batten disease. They also support and assist families of children with Batten disease. More details of the charity and the disease can be found on our website.
