'I was drawn like a magnet to this amazing charity': Former Mayor of Kirklees joins Forget Me Not Children's Hospice team

Dewsbury councillor Masood Ahmed has spoken about his personal experiences of loss as he joins the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice as its new community engagement officer.

The West Yorkshire charity, whose patron is HRH Princess Beatrice, supports babies and children with life-shortening illnesses and their families.

Coun Ahmed, who represents Dewsbury South ward on Kirklees Council, said: “One of my sons had an underlying health condition and we were in and out of hospital regularly.

“We spent more time in the intensive care unit than anywhere else.

"Forget Me Not didn’t exist at the time and there was no support for us as a family. No one to help us deal with the situation.

“When I visited the hospice 10 years ago, I was taken aback by what they offered.

"My heart melted and I was drawn like a magnet to this amazing charity.”

Coun Ahmed chose the Forget Me Not Hospice as his mayoral charity for the year 2022-23, and will use his network of contacts to raise funds and awareness for the charity.

He said he wants to increase awareness of the charity among South Asian and ethnic minority communities in particular, who make up 60 per cent of the families the Forget Me Not charity supports.

He said: “I want to show people that the hospice isn’t like a hospital or a place where sick children go to die.

“It’s more like somewhere you can feel at home, surrounded by people who can support you through the challenges you face.”