No slowing up for Cornish toddlers memory raising money for “The Precious Lives Appeal”

After passing £31,000 you would think Joe’s supporters and family would be slowing down but 2009 looks like a very busy year with new ideas coming up to remember Joe’s story and inspire new people

Cornish company IT-OK have just completed a big up date on Joes website with a new look blog with RSS feeds to keep up to date with your chosen topics, more media video, a whole page about The Precious Lives Appeal and information about the build of “Little Habour”, new diary page about events organised for Precious Lives in Joes memory and a new look gallery.

Joe also has a youtube site with the videos from his media page which again is directing new people to the main site.

Joe’s story also has a group on facebook which the family are hoping to gain over 5000 members they are already over 800 so please join Joe’s group and spread the word.

 Matt Joe’s Dad said “The facebook group has grown very fast and has members from all over the world with members who have suffered from Steven Johnson Syndrome, Parents who have children with Angelmans Syndrome and even stars such as Melinda Messenger from ITV’s Dancing on Ice".

 Anyone who wants to help and Join Joe’s facebook group log onto www.joeway.co.uk and hit the “find us on facebook” link

One of the Blog’s started lists the celebrity support started by Melinda Messenger and Ben Richards from ITV’s “The Bill”.

Claire added “we have also started asking famous supporters to email a photo of them holding I’ve been inspired poster for us to post on the website which is one of the new ways for us to get the message about the Precious Lives appeal and Joe’s story outside of Cornwall” Click on the picture (right) to download your copy!!

Live Music Fundraiser - Three gigs to raise money for the Precious Lives Appeal in memory of Joe Way

John Davis and Martin Everett are in their second year studying FDA Popular Music at Truro College in Cornwall.

One of their modules, entitled ‘Band Studies’, involves staging a series of performances combining a common theme, marks are then awarded on their organisational skills along with the performances as a whole.

Martin and John first heard about Joe Way when Bernie Morcom, a paediatric nurse at Treliske hospital, visited the school that John’s children attend to talk about the Precious Lives Appeal. After hearing the story of Joe they approached his father Matt with the idea of linking the ‘Band Studies’ module with a fundraising event in aid of Joe Way and the Precious Lives Appeal.

When asked why, Martin said, “The reason for all this is simple, we want to raise awareness and funds for the Precious Lives Appeal, we desperately need a children’s hospice in Cornwall and the more people that know about the project the better. Oh, and we may actually get some college work done.”

Matt (Joe’s Dad) said “John approached me after I visited his son’s school to receive a donation it was great that the talk one of Joe’s nurses Berny Morcom gave at their event had such an impact that John and Martin have come up with three great events”.

Each night will see music from The Modern Jam, Hush With Your A’s and The Gypsy Pinks plus other Guests. Each night will also have a Prize Raffle Draw with Prizes being donated by Cornish businesses.

Find out more about the gigs, venues and how to donate »

Joe Way takes the Precious Lives appeal 7295 km to Cuba

Richard Bower MBE has already donated 100 bags for life with the Precious Lives appeal and www.joeway.co.uk logo’s printed on then to raise funds.

However Richard and his wife Lesley then came up with the idea of taking Joe’s banner to Cuba on holiday.

Richard said “We had a great time telling people we meet about Joe’s story and the Precious Lives appeal as well asking locals to have their photo taken with the banner”

Just some of the Cuban supporters where a Spanish lady, dancing girls and fella’s, local girls holding the banner with a local chap on the top of an old tower in the town of Trinidad on the Caribbean coast as well as dancing chamber maids at the New Years eve party for staff at the Union hotel at Cienfeugos.

Performing street artists Orange people were a moving/static tableau on Cayo Coco at the Melia hotel on the northern archipelago of islands also posed with the banner after Richard explained the story behind it all.

Richard added “It was fun undertaking this and was not a problem as everyone we asked were more than happy to oblige, as you can see from all the happy faces”.

Claire Way said “It was great they had taken Joe’s banner on holiday with them and to see so many happy people proudly holding the banner with Joe’s smiling face”

My brother: Megan's poignant snow message

WITH glistening white snow carpeting much of Newquay, most children would be out on their toboggans, but one youngster took the time to remember her little brother. Megan Way, five, paid respect to her brother Joe, who tragically passed away in May last year, by writing the name of his website in the snow.

Since Joe's death, his father Matt and mother Claire, have dedicated their lives to raising funds for Children's Hospice South West. To date, the family have raised more than £30,000 for the charity's plans to build a new children's hospice in Cornwall. They also set up a special website in Joe's name, where internet users could learn about Joe's life and the conditions he suffered from, as well as donating to the cause. For more, visit www.joeway.co.uk