Amelia’s Rainbow is a Dorset children’s charity helping families facing serious illness, life-limiting conditions and disabilities. Inspired by the kindness of Bournemouth girl Amelia Grace Cooper, the charity provides personalised gifts, free family holidays, beach hut visits and memorable experiences. From its Christmas Toy Appeal to community fundraising events, discover the people behind Amelia’s Rainbow, the support available to families and how local residents, schools and businesses can get involved.
20th October 2026
A holiday by the coast, a gift chosen around a child’s interests or a Christmas delivery from a team of elves. Amelia’s Rainbow creates opportunities for children and their families to enjoy life together when illness and disability bring difficult challenges.
The Dorset charity helps more than 170 families a year through gifts, experiences, holiday accommodation and days at the beach. Its work supports children with serious, chronic, life limiting or terminal conditions, alongside services for eligible children with disabilities.
The charity began with Amelia Grace Cooper, a Bournemouth girl whose generosity continues to shape its work. While receiving cancer treatment, Amelia used some of her own money to buy an Xbox for a friend in hospital. She wanted other children to enjoy the same kindness she had received.
After Amelia died in 2010, her parents, Karl and Chantel, carried that spirit forward. The Amelia Grace Rainbow Fund was formally established in 2012 and became Amelia’s Rainbow.
Today, its work gives other families opportunities to play, learn and make memories together.
The Rainbow Gifts programme responds to individual children’s needs and interests. Support has included adapted tricycles, tablets, laptops with speech therapy software and activities such as swimming and dancing lessons.
For families concentrating on appointments, treatment and care, these gifts create opportunities for enjoyment and achievement. An activity, piece of technology or special experience can give a child something to look forward to.
Parents can request an application through the charity’s contact form. Applications need support from an appropriate professional, such as a member of the child’s NHS care team or a Young Lives vs Cancer social worker. The charity assesses requests against its eligibility criteria.
Amelia’s Rainbow has two holiday properties, giving eligible families a free break away.
Amelia’s Retreat, at Hoburne Naish near Highcliffe, has a particularly personal connection. Karl and Chantel took Amelia there during her illness, and the charity bought its own caravan in 2015 so other families could enjoy the setting. It sleeps six, with park passes providing access to facilities including the swimming pools.
Amelia’s Haven, at Rockley Park in Poole, opened in 2024. The wheelchair accessible property was developed after the charity identified families who could not use its original caravan because of their wheelchair access needs. It sleeps six and has ramp access and an accessible shower.
Bookings are arranged directly with the charity and require a referral from the family’s medical team.
The charity’s Bournemouth beach hut gives eligible families another way to spend time together, with free use of a base beside the beach.
Keeping it ready is a community effort. Volunteers maintain and clean the hut, with caretaker Lynne helping ensure it is prepared for each family. Running costs exceed £5,000 a year, showing how donations sustain the services families enjoy.
The annual Christmas Toy Appeal brings together donated gifts, local businesses and volunteers.
Presents are chosen to suit individual children, with the appeal also including siblings and parents. Volunteers sort, select and pack donations at Elf HQ before teams of Amelia’s Elves deliver them to families across Dorset.
There are several ways to contribute: donate suitable gifts, provide vouchers, help fund purchases or ask about volunteering. Vouchers are particularly useful for children whose interests extend beyond toys, while financial donations help the charity choose appropriate presents.
Amelia’s family remains closely involved, alongside staff, trustees and volunteers.
Chantel, Amelia’s mum and Chair, helps protect the charity’s values and keeps Amelia’s legacy central to its work.
Farah, Charity Manager, oversees its services, fundraising and objectives, working with families, supporters and volunteers.
Sarah, Charity Administrator, connects with families and works with the supporters and volunteers who help deliver the charity’s work.
Lisa, Community Fundraiser, brings together people, schools, clubs and communities across Dorset.
The wider team includes Craig, Trustee and Treasurer, and Carl Bunter, Trustee, whose involvement reaches back to supporting Amelia and her family. Maxine, Amelia’s aunt and Retail Fundraiser, has been involved since the charity’s beginnings. Poppy, its Young Ambassador, contributes through fundraising, stalls and events.
Amelia’s Rainbow gives supporters plenty of ways to combine a good time with a local cause.
Its fundraising includes themed afternoon teas, quizzes and pop up shops. The events programme has featured a Harry Potter Afternoon Tea Party at Bournemouth’s Cumberland Hotel, while The Big Quiz is another example of its fundraising events.
Sponsored challenges offer a different route. Supporters have been invited to become Rainbow Runners at Run Bournemouth, and the charity also encourages activities such as walks, skydives, abseils and gaming livestreams.
You can organise your own fundraiser too. Coffee mornings, dinner parties, quizzes and football events are among the ideas the charity suggests, with help available through fundraising advice, sponsorship guidance and merchandise.
For businesses, options include choosing Amelia’s Rainbow as Charity of the Year, sponsoring an event, matching staff fundraising or donating raffle and auction prizes. Practical contributions matter too, from printing and professional services to staff volunteering at events or helping care for the holiday facilities.
For schools and youth groups, the charity supports fundraising and awareness activities and welcomes enquiries about visits, assemblies and events. It also accepts shared fundraising arrangements where proceeds are split between the school and the charity.
For individuals, a donation, sponsored challenge, fundraising gathering or offer of time can all contribute. Contact the team to discuss the role or project that suits you.
Families seeking support and readers interested in helping can contact Amelia’s Rainbow directly.
Email: email@ameliasrainbow.org
Telephone: 07539 870175
Registered charity number: 1192079
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