Bestselling children’s author Dame Julia Donaldson has become a patron of a charity that supports hospices across Sussex including the Martlets, in Hove.
Dame Julia – creator of The Gruffalo, Stick Man, The Paper Dolls, What the Ladybird Heard and, most recently, Gruffalo Granny – has long been a supporter of the hospice movement.
In her role as a patron of the Friends of Sussex Hospices, she will champion the charity’s support for the hospices that serve adults and children in Sussex.
Dame Julia said: “I am delighted to step into the role of patron for Friends of Sussex Hospices.
“Our hospices provide specialist palliative and end-of-life care that focuses on compassionate and comprehensive support for the patient and family at a time when they need it most.
“This charity, which is run entirely by volunteers, has supported local hospices for over 30 years and I am very pleased to lend my support to their dedicated efforts.”
The author’s appointment comes in the same year as she was made a dame in the King’s birthday honours list for her services to literature.
The charity said: “Her patronage brings invaluable visibility to Friends of Sussex Hospices and will give an added boost to its annual Gruffalo fundraising event which the charity has organised since 2018.”
Friends of Sussex Hospices president Kathy Sambrook said: “We are absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured to welcome Dame Julia Donaldson as one of our patrons.
“Having Julia’s support will significantly elevate our voice and help us connect with a younger support base.”
Dame Julia is one of the Britain’s most successful and best-loved picture book authors. Her career spans over 30 years during which she has written modern classics translated into over 100 languages.
Beyond her immense contribution to literature, she is a passionate supporter of community welfare and serves as a patron to several key literacy and children’s charities, including Amaze, Read for Good and Storybook Dads.
Friends of Sussex Hospices, founded in 1995, is a registered charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the 13 hospice care providers serving the adults and children of Sussex.
The charity is run entirely by volunteers and has to date distributed £3.8 million.
