Construction begins on holiday village for critically ill children
Kids’ Village, a holiday village for children with critical illnesses and their families, has officially started construction at its site near Wychnor, Lichfield.
It marks a milestone in the project, which aims to offer free breaks in the Staffordshire countryside for families facing difficult health challenges.
The idea for Kids’ Village was inspired by Sam Fletcher-Goodwin, who was diagnosed with a rare cancer, Rhabdomyosarcoma, at the age of nine.
After her recovery, Fletcher-Goodwin and her family visited the Give Kids The World Village in Florida, sparking her dream to create a similar place in the UK.
Now, the charity is working to raise £5m to build the resort, which will feature ten four-bedroom lodges and a central hub called ‘The Hive.’
The first phase of construction is focused on building a site office, a viewing area, and a small car park. This office will serve as the base for the Kids’ Village team and a space for potential funders and partners to visit, learn more about the project, and see the site.
Once the village is operational, the site office will become management accommodation.
Kids’ Village Chairman Doug Wright MBE said: “This is a significant milestone and exciting day for Kids’ Village. We have been able to break ground and start this pre-phase of building works as a direct result of the support and donations received this year and look forward to welcoming funders up
to the site in early 2025.
“While we can’t provide definitive timeframes for the full build, as this is dependent on the fundraising capital appeal, we hope that we can proceed to the full building works starting as soon as possible.”
Sam Fletcher-Goodwin, co-founder of Kids’ Village, said: “The idea to build Kids’ Village began nearly 20 years ago, so to see work beginning is incredibly exciting for both me and my family. After having cancer and an uncertain future as a child, I’m so grateful to be healthy now and that drives me to help children going through similar situations as me.
“The mission is to give children with critical illness and their families hope, countryside escape and the chance to make precious memories in a safe, fun and understanding environment. We are so grateful for all of the support and generosity we’ve been shown up until this point and we can’t wait to
see our vision come to life.’
