A charity set up in memory of a teenager from Reading has opened a holiday retreat in the Cotswolds, providing vital respite for families with children battling cancer.
Charlie’s Retreat honours the life of Charlie Ilsley, from Emmer Green, who passed away in December 2020 at the age of 13 after a courageous fight with medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of childhood brain tumour.
The purpose-built retreat, located at Hoburne Cotswold Water Park in Cirencester, offers families a safe and relaxing environment to recharge and spend quality time together. Facilities include access to lakes, adventure activities, play areas, children’s entertainment, and nearby attractions such as Cotswold Wildlife Park and the Cotswold Country Park & Beach.
Charlie was first diagnosed in March 2015 at age eight. He underwent emergency surgery, chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, and later specialised treatments funded by community support, including CyberKnife therapy in Turkey and immunotherapy in Germany and Mexico. Despite these efforts, Charlie’s cancer returned, and he died in 2020.
The retreat, which will be available year-round to families across the UK, is the culmination of an extraordinary fundraising effort by the Team Charlie charity, founded in 2022 by Charlie’s mother, Toni Ilsley, and co-founder Claire Brown. Donations, events, and a £20,000 National Lottery grant contributed to the project, alongside support from community fundraisers.
Toni Ilsley said: “Holidays and luxuries become the most important things when you’re trying to make memories with a sick child. This retreat will keep Charlie’s name going and his memory alive, and hopefully a lot of people will benefit from it. I know Charlie would have loved the fact that he’s helping others and making a positive difference.”
Claire Brown added: “Charlie’s Retreat isn’t just a holiday home – it’s a lifeline for families experiencing the relentless trauma of childhood cancer. We hope to support hundreds of families from this home in the years to come. This gives us a more tangible tribute to this remarkable young man who captured so many hearts not just locally, but all over the world.”
Families interested in booking can find more information on the Team Charlie website: www.teamcharlie.org.uk
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