Our work, what we do.

Setup in loving memory of Josh Evans.

John and Tracy Evans wish for this fund to carry on his enthusiasm for enjoying life, by helping others with diabetes, specifically children and their families in Somerset.

We are already making a difference to children and families in Somerset, please take a few minutes to read more.

If you like what you see and want to know more or how to get involved then please contact us, we are always open to suggestions, supporters and donations.

NHS Patient Experiences

Comments from children and parents about our education programmes and the residential activity weekend, as I think these views are both real and incredibly powerful. These are activities that have been supported by Josh Evans Trust Fund

Regarding Group Education
‘’ I am extremely proud of how my son has coped with having diabetes, it has been really difficult at times and I feel really pleased that he is using what he learned on this course every day, that it is helping him to finally feel ‘the same’ as his friends – as he matures he will hopefully take on more of the messages, but at the moment it is great that he can make choices like his friends’’
‘’As a parent, I really valued being able to talk with other parents and young people. The group was so friendly, the content really easy to understand and very relaxed’’.

‘’We have gained a lot from this. My son sometimes feels like a ‘normal person’ now. He has since taken on loads more responsibility for looking after his own diabetes and this course offered a different way of reinforcing some of the things I was trying to teach him as a parent (although he listens to what others are saying more than to me!). As a parent it can be very difficult to step back and allow them more control, but it helped me to do this’’.

‘’Making contacts with other families has been great, it is really useful and we help each other. My son has also kept in contact with one of the other people on our course and has met up with them a few times. It is good to know you are not the only one’’.

‘’Talking with other parents is really useful. Having a child with diabetes causes lots of heartache, it’s really hard and can make you feel very isolated – especially if they are very young when they are diagnosed. It has a massive impact on the whole family, it can put a big strain on relationships because it just takes over everything. Talking to others on the course helps to put some perspective on that, even hearing different experiences was really useful and helps you feel you are not the only one’’.

Regarding the residential Activity Weekend
Parent of a 12 yr old boy - ‘’ I felt the weekend was an enormous success. My son absolutely loved it and he felt very positive and motivated when he got home. He particularly liked making new friends and has kept in contact with some of them. He thoroughly enjoyed it and said it was good to feel like everyone else and not to feel like the only one.

12 yr old girl - ‘’It was really good because I made friends. We talked about diabetes a bit but not all of the time. It was nice to know that other people have it and I’m not the only one. I enjoyed all of the activities and working together with others. It made me think about having a more solid routine, which I think will make a difference to my diabetes control. I have kept in contact with 2 other girls on facebook and would DEFINITELY come if another weekend is planned ’’.

Parent of a 14yr old girl – ‘’She really loved it – and talked about nothing else for days! She said it was nice to be able to talk to others about diabetes. My daughter felt she could trust the team and felt ‘normal’. This is the first time she has felt able to go on a trip and be OK because she knew we would look after her. She felt free to be herself and is more confident now. She is trying to do other things / trips too because she has learnt she can manage herself and can have more freedom and take more responsibility. I was good for us as parents to be sure in the knowledge that she would be safe with you’’

And finally Ryan a 13yr old boy whose parents have given me permission to talk about his personal experience – ‘’It was a fantastic weekend. The activities were great fun but the biggest bonus and incredible achievement was doing his own injections for the first time (in 10 yrs of having diabetes) at this weekend. He continues to do his injections and this has given him much more confidence to do things and to stay over with friends. His parents recommend this kind of weekend to everyone, it has made a huge difference to them and for the first time in 15yrs they are able to go away without the children! They particularly mentioned Dr Gupta, our team paediatrician and how brilliant it was that he joined in the weekend and helped Ryan. Unfortunately, it has also had an impact on parents finances, because they promised to buy him a widescreen TV of his own if he did his injections! Ryan remains in contact with some of the boys he made friends with during the weekend on Xbox live and facebook and something I think is really wonderful is that Ryan is planning to do a sponsored walk with some of his friends next year for Josh’s charity because he wants to give something back to the fund that helped him so much’’.

Joshua Evans