Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page. 

We are Group 13 of hcpt and we raise money throughout the year for our local hcpt group. Group 13 is based in Witham, Essex and has been helping children in London and the Mid-Essex area since 1980. 

With the Covid-19 Pandemic scuppering our plans for pilgrimages since 2020, we are now full of optimism to return to Lourdes in 2023 and can't wait to get back to doing what we love!

hcpt was founded in 1956 by Dr Michael Strode, who wanted to give children with disabilities the opportunity to have a holiday like anyone else, staying hotels and enjoying day trips out to the mountains and the beach.  

Since 1956 hcpt has grown enormously, taking over 2000 children to Lourdes during Easter week each year. The children come from all over Britain and Ireland and travel in local family groups of up to thirty people. We travel by air from a number of airports and stay in hotels while in Lourdes. 

The children are aged between 7 and 18 and can be disabled, have learning difficulties or social and behavioural problems. The experience of a week in Lourdes, combining some religious activities with trips to the mountains and seaside, parties, discos and other events in the setting of a caring family group can be life changing for the children and their families, however the most important thing to Group 13 is that the children have fun. All of the children we take ask to come back again after their first hcpt holiday. 

Each child is accompanied by a volunteer helper who pays their own way and so the money raised by Group 13 funds the cost of taking the children. The cost of taking one child to Lourdes with hcpt is £850.

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