We have met some pretty awesome people through setting up our charity, many of which have given us both their physical, emotional and financial support for free. 

We always had the dream and drive that Charlies Angel Centre would become a world wide known charity but I don't think we ever thought that everything would happen so quickly.

When we initially looked into starting up a charity we were told by many people that it can take up to 5 years for a new charity to become known well. We even spoke to other charities who also told us how hard those first few years can be.

They were right but I think we have achieved so much in a much shorter space of time. 
Maybe it's because we are all pretty stubborn and determined and don't let things lie but whatever it is we have kept going even when things have become really tough and emotionally draining.

We are now in our 3rd year, nearly approaching our 4th, and things are just going from strength to strength.

At the start we were having to do all the contacting, phoning and ruffling feathers within the local NHS and other businesses but now we have people contacting us asking how they can help us. 

Only today we have been contacted by an MP asking for our help, rather than the other way round.

Some days when we allow ourselves to sit back and look at what we have achieved it is quite surreal. 

We now regularly attend meetings with business managers and NHS bosses and we all seem to take it in our stride, there are still a few nerves but nothing like we used to experience. 

We now feel that we are going into these meetings as equals and that we have a service that they now want to access. They also now ask us for our advice.

As we approach the last 2 months of 2016 the feeling is that 2017 is going to be a huge year for the charity. 

Not only do we think that our work with the NHS will just continue to grow but we are hopeful that our campaigning to get changes to the current provisions of bereavement support will get heard within parliament.

Our journey will continue and we really hope that you all stay with us and keep showing us the support and friendship you do now.

Charlie will definitely become the face of changes to the support bereaved parents and their families receive both in Leeds and across the UK. 

Charlie always has been and always will be a very special, brave little boy to us but now other families will be helped by his courage and his legacy will go on.