Some community events leave a real impression, and Thornbury Orchestra’s recent fundraising concert for Jessie May was one of them. The evening brought together local people who care about supporting children with life‑limiting conditions and their families, all while enjoying a wonderful night of music.
Thornbury Orchestra is a long‑established community orchestra made up of local musicians who come together to rehearse and perform a wide range of classical and contemporary pieces. They regularly hold concerts for the local community, and this year they chose to support Jessie May through their winter performance.
“It was wonderful to see the community come together to support Jessie May,” Kayleigh, Jessie May’s Trust and Grants Manager, said. “I shared the story of a family we work with who were finally able to take their daughter to the park and enjoy an unhurried hot chocolate together while our nurses cared for their son at home. It was a small moment, but it meant everything to them, and it’s exactly the kind of difference their support makes. Events like this help us reach more families who need that same chance to rest, breathe and spend time together.”
During the interval, the Jessie May team hosted a welcoming tea and snacks table, giving concert‑goers the chance to chat with volunteers, ask questions and make donations. The generosity shown throughout the evening was wonderful to see, and the conversations were full of warmth, curiosity and genuine support.
Thanks to the dedication of everyone involved, the event has already raised around £1,200! An incredible achievement that will help us continue providing specialist nursing care to families across the region.
This special partnership came to life thanks to Elaine Lunts, one of our trustees and a member of Thornbury Orchestra. We’re hugely grateful to Elaine for introducing Jessie May to her community and helping create such a meaningful collaboration.
We were also delighted to have the support of our brilliant volunteers. Kayleigh was joined by her whole family, showing just how powerful family volunteering can be, while Michelle and her husband Tony also gave their time to help make the evening a success.
As a lovely continuation of this support, Kayleigh’s partner Billy shared the event on LinkedIn. Billy’s company, Impact Services LMT, made a generous donation to Jessie May in December, and Billy chose to volunteer with us as part of that ongoing commitment, so thank you Billy!
Thornbury Orchestra’s concert was more than a fundraiser – it was a celebration of community, compassion and the power of people coming together to make a difference. We are so grateful to everyone who played a part.
If you’d like to learn more about Thornbury Orchestra, you can visit their website here.
