NEW grandad Steve Cook, who created a special sausage for our Julia's House appeal, now has more reason than ever to get behind the children's hospice.

For the butcher's first grandchild was born more than two months early weighing just 2lb and spent weeks in the neo-natal intensive care unit at Great Western Hospital, Swindon.

Little Oscar is now home from hospital and doing well but the difficult experience of seeing him so ill in hospital has made Mr Cook realise how parents really need the support given by the charity.

Mr Cook, who runs Walter Rose & Son butchers in Sidmouth Street, Devizes, with his sons Charlie, 26, and Jack, 28, said: "Seeing Oscar with all the wires attached was very scary.

"He still has a few problems associated with being so premature but hopefully he is going to be fine. But it makes you realise how it must feel to be a parent of a child with serious and permanent problems.

"I am sure the support Julia's House can give would be a huge help."

Charlie Cook and his partner Gemma Henry had to rush to Great Western Hospital when she went into premature labour on January 11. She gave birth the same day and Oscar was immediately taken into the special unit. But despite some scares he progressed well and was allowed home in March just before his due date of March 23.

Walter Rose & Son has been selling special steak and stout sausages from the beginning of the year in aid of the appeal. On Friday Mr Cook presented a cheque for £500 to Liz Froud from Julia's House. Money came from sales of the sausages and a top up by Mr Cook.

Ms Froud said: "It was very generous of Walter Rose & Son to create this sausage especially for Julia's House and we are very grateful. Thanks to the Gazette's appeal lots of people know about the charity's work and so it makes our fundraising easier.

"Work will start on the new hospice in Devizes in a few weeks time and we hope it will be finished by about this time next year."

The Gazette launched its appeal to raise £100,000 to pay for Julia's House carers for Wiltshire families with sick and disabled children in January and Mr Cook was one of the first businesses to pledge support.

Julia's House is also inviting people to celebrate the support it gives families in Dorset and Wiltshire during Children’s Hospice Week which runs until Sunday. (29)

One of the highlights of the week is a competition that Julia’s House is running with its supporters Larmer Tree Festival to meet jazz artist Jamie Cullum, and watch him play on the opening night of the festival.

Volunteers will be collecting donations at Tesco and Budgens stores across Wiltshire and schools and corporate supporters will be dressing down or up, holding cake sales and using many other imaginative ways to raise much-needed funds for Julia’s House.

To find out more visit www.juliashouse.org