Chestnut Tree House

Are you looking for your next team-building challenge? Want to do something adventurous while fundraising for a worthwhile cause?

Abseil down Arundel Castle and support your local children’s hospice!

In March 2023, you and your colleagues could be conquering a castle for local children’s hospice care, as Chestnut Tree House is thrilled to be offering an exclusive opportunity to abseil 180ft down the iconic Bake House Tower at Arundel Castle.

Climb 200 steps up the Bake House Tower’s winding stone staircase. Soak in breath-taking panoramic views of Arundel and the South Downs. Then descend the side of the epic 180ft tower to be knighted with your bespoke medal.

Fiona James at Chestnut Tree House said, “People taking on this challenge will not only be abseiling at an amazing location, but they will be doing so knowing that the money raised will make a difference to local children who need hospice care. Arundel Castle is one of the most iconic landmarks in West Sussex, but it is also only a few miles from the hospice, so is the ideal venue for a special charity fundraiser.”

Abseilers will be raising vital funds for Chestnut Tree House, so that the hospice can continue caring for local children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families. Families like Maisy-Leigh’s.

Arundel Castle Abseil takes place on Saturday March 25th and Sunday March 26th 2023, and places are limited.

Participants can choose from three different registration options, starting from just £20 (minimum sponsorship applies), and the money raised will be helping local children and their families.

To find out more about the Arundel Castle Abseil and sign up, visit arundelabseil.org.

MAISY-LEIGH’S STORY

It’s impossible for anyone to feel sad around Maisy-Leigh because she’s got a smile that is so contagious you can’t help but smile back. She’s also got a life-shortening and extremely rare genetic condition called Coffin-Siris syndrome, with just 200 people diagnosed worldwide.

For Maisy-Leigh, who turns seven this year, the condition has affected the development of her brain and means she isn’t able to talk, and is mostly fed through a tube as she finds it hard to swallow. She’s also prone to respiratory problems and life-threatening allergies, so her parents, Luke and Hayleigh, can spend a lot of time in hospital with her. When Maisy-Leigh was one year old, they visited Chestnut Tree House for the first time. “We were a bit anxious about being referred to a children’s hospice,” said Hayleigh. “But as soon as we walked through the door it felt so homely. We were treated like family and given so much care and attention. As parents you can’t wish for anything more than your child to be loved and everyone there just adored her. We can relax knowing that she is happy and cared for.”

For Maisy-Leigh, Chestnut Tree House is somewhere where she can have fun, laugh, and do things that any other child can do. But it’s also a place where the family can do things together, like going swimming together for the first time. “We’d always been too scared to take her to a public pool,” explains Hayleigh. “So, seeing her little face light up, and her legs kick around in the water at Chestnut was incredible.

“Thanks to Chestnut, we can be a normal family. They give us the time and strength we need to carry on and we’d be lost without them.”