At a Glance
- Gold Geese is celebrating its 8th anniversary supporting families affected by childhood cancer across Essex
- The charity was founded by Katie Southgate following her daughter’s cancer diagnosis
- Around 150 local families have received practical and emotional support
- Support includes counselling, hospital transport help, wellbeing therapies, respite trips and bereavement support
- Gold Geese also runs awareness campaigns to help people recognise childhood cancer symptoms
- The charity receives no Government funding and relies on community support and fundraising
The small, local childhood cancer charity Gold Geese is celebrating its 8th anniversary this month, marking nearly a decade of supporting families across Mid and South-East Essex and raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer.
How it started – one mum’s determination to ‘pay forward community support’
Gold Geese was founded in 2018 by Katie Southgate following her daughter’s cancer diagnosis. It began as a small, community-driven effort called Hattie’s Heroes which supported their family through this difficult time.
When her daughter completed treatment and started school full-time, Katie wanted to ‘pay forward’ the community’s kindness to other families in the same situation and set up Gold Geese as a charity, so they would feel less alone and as supported as she had felt.
The charity’s name reflects the way geese care for each other, flying as a group and never leaving a sick or injured bird behind, while gold is the international colour for childhood cancer. Its slogan We Fly Together reflects a supportive flock where no one is left behind and how families are supported at every stage.
Over the last eight years Gold Geese has supported around 150 local families across their childhood cancer journey, from diagnosis and treatment to recovery or, sadly, bereavement.
It has also expanded its reach to Chelmsford, Maldon and the surrounding areas to help meet demand from families of children and young people receiving cancer treatment at Broomfield Hospital, as well as those at Southend and Basildon Hospitals.
Gold Geese provides practical and emotional support tailored to each family’s needs, and is offered to siblings and parents too.
Support includes:
- Mental health support and wellbeing therapies for children, parents, and siblings
- Toys, gifts and treats
- Weekend and day trips offering respite from treatment or marking anniversaries
- Special ‘experience’ gifts, such as riding a fire engine or meeting wolves, stretch Hummers to ride home from hospital, and magician visits
- Help with hospital transport and stays
- Peer-support
- Food vouchers to ease financial pressure, as many parents leave their job or cut back hours to care for their child
- End-of-treatment celebrations
- Memory-making activities and bereavement support
Awareness campaigns
Gold Geese also raises awareness of childhood cancer symptoms as they are similar to many common children’s illnesses.
Every September schools and local businesses turn Gold to help raise awareness, with a convoy of yellow and gold cars also convening on Southend seafront. A yellow Gold Geese train also travels on the c2c line year-round between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, to help spread awareness amongst commuters.
Powered by the community
The charity receives no Government funding and is powered by community support and grants. Its popular fundraising events have included:
- Goslings, the children’s sponsored walk or scoot in Chalkwell
- A high-energy Nuclear Races mud run in Brentwood, where supporters tackle obstacles and deep mud to raise funds
- The magical Christmas Grotto in an old pier train in Old Leigh, which brings festive joy to families while raising vital awareness and support
“When Gold Geese began, it was simply about making sure no family felt alone facing childhood cancer. Eight years on, we’re a small charity that can do amazing things for families because our powerful community keep showing up time and time again for children and young people facing cancer. I’m constantly blown away by people’s kindness and am so grateful.
“Expanding our support to families being treated at Broomfield Hospital has been a huge step, and we’re committed to continuing the practical and emotional help that makes a real difference, including expanding our support for teenagers as they face specific challenges. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together and grateful to everyone who has helped us fly this far.”
— Katie Southgate, Founder and CEO of Gold Geese
Conall, 18, Southend, was supported by Gold Geese after he was diagnosed with bone cancer. He struggled with PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome) following a leg amputation as part of his treatment. He said:
“The hardest thing about having cancer for me was losing my sporty lifestyle, during my treatment, this was a result of my leg amputation.
“Gold Geese helped me after PTSD hit me many years after finishing treatment by paying for my counselling. This was huge because my sporty lifestyle was taken again, this time by PTSD.
“I now have an amazing happy life training as an engineer at Southend Airport and enjoying my independence driving as I’ve just passed my driving test!”
To mark its 8th anniversary, Gold Geese is inviting the community to get involved through fundraising challenges, volunteering, and sharing stories of how the charity has helped local families.
All funds raised will ensure Gold Geese can continue providing personalised support for years to come.
For more information or to support Gold Geese, visit www.goldgeese.org or email fundraising@goldgeese.org.