Jacksplace hosts festival for young adults

Last weekend, young adults’ hospice, Jacksplace, hosted a festival for the young adults that use the hospice service, alongside their family and friends.

Jestival is an internal, annual festival held at Jacksplace. This year’s event featured live music from local musicians, a barbeque cooked in the Jacksplace BBQ hut, glitter face painting, massages, mocktails, snacks, a photo booth and lots of singing, dancing and happy energy from the staff and attendees.

Local artists, Ollie Wade (from Winchester), Abi Carr (from Eastleigh), Calum Lintott (from Southampton), Singer Stu (from Southampton) and Fables (a duo from Southampton), all volunteered their time to play at the festival and spent some time afterwards dancing and chatting with the young adults and staff.

Play and Activities Team Leader, Claire Potterton, said:

“We had such a fantastic day – the weather didn’t put a dampener on our fun! We brought the festival indoors this year and went all out with decorations, creating different areas for all our festival activities. The young adults, families and staff alike fully embraced the festival theme; singing, dancing and dressing up for the occasion, with multicoloured costumes, glitter face paints, hair flowers and bandanas.

“An absolute highlight was the incredible live music. Five fantastic musicians volunteered their time to perform and put on a fantastic show – everyone had a blast from start to finish. Dancing, singing, headbands flashing and silly props galore! It was such an uplifting, happy atmosphere with everyone involved enjoying the company of each other. It was certainly a day to remember!”

Abi Carr, a local musician from Eastleigh who sang and played their ukelele at Jestival, said:

“I want to thank all the staff and young people at Jacksplace for an amazing day. We danced, we sang, we covered ourselves in glitter! It was a brilliant opportunity and I hope to be back soon.”

Jacksplace is the only hospice in central southern England that offers care, support, independence, empowerment and dignity for life limited and life threatened young adults from the age of 16. To find out more, visit: www.naomihouse.org.uk/jacksplace

Credit: Jon Bolton