Prime Estate Agent ‘takes off’ with charity Dreamflight
Barton Wyatt’s Joanne Parris, who runs their luxury lettings arm in Virginia Water, Surrey is setting off this Saturday for the second time to Florida’s theme parks with 192 seriously ill or disabled children.
The Dreamflight Charity is again being sponsored by Barton Wyatt who has made a generous donation and allows Jo the time off work to go and help with this worthy event.
Dreamflight is a registered charity whose purpose is to take deserving children on the holiday of their dreams to America’s capital of fun – Orlando! The children are chosen from all over the UK and it is not just a holiday, it allows them to realise that they are not alone with their illness and not the odd one out. With a new independence gained from being away from their family, they see other children who have suffered, they gain perspective and strength and with the help of the team of volunteers experience things that they never thought possible.
The children on each trip are accompanied by a group of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and non medical escorts who make the journey possible by giving their time and energy to the charity, and it is not just for the 10 days that they will be away. There is a great deal of preparatory work and fundraising to be done before the annual trip to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Jo Parris, Lettings Manager for Barton Wyatt Estate Agency in Virginia Water, went on the 2013 Dreamflight to the US and was so enamoured by the experience that she happily accepted to go again as a non medical escort for the 2014 Dreamflight. She comments:
“Last year I returned from the Dreamflight exhausted yet elated. It was a completely unique experience – like nothing I have ever done or considered doing before. I felt so privileged to have been included in this experience that changes lives and when I got the chance to go again I was very keen to do so.”
James Wyatt, partner of Barton Wyatt has offered his own support by giving Jo the extra time off from the office and sponsors T-shirts for the children to wear on the day they go to Blizzard Beach. Barton Wyatt has been sponsoring the T-shirts for nearly ten years and James says:
“It was a client of ours that first opened our eyes to Dreamflight back in 2004. It seemed like such a fabulous charity and appealed to our sense of community. I have 3 healthy children and took them to Disney this summer. The thought that we have helped to allow others the same experience gives me some small pleasure.
For more information on Dreamflight visit www.dreamflight.org or if you would like to support Jo in her fundraising contact her at the Barton Wyatt office on 01344 843 000 or email her on jp@bartonwyatt.co.uk.