SERIOUSLY ill children enjoyed a trip of a lifetime thanks to a group of Freemasons.

Seven children being cared for at Little Havens Hospice, in Thundersley, got to meet Mickey, Minnie and a host of other characters during a week-long visit to Disneyland Paris.

The youngsters, along with their carers and two members of the care team at the hospice, travelled to Paris on a Jumbulance – a coach which has been converted to accommodate wheelchairs.

The trip was organised by Derrick Lewis, a volunteer team leader for garden maintenance at Little Havens, together with Richard Hollier, Ron Steele and Bob Finch, who are all Freemasons from the Sigebert Lodge 7572.

The trip was funded by Essex Freemasons, contractors from Crossrail and through an online JustGiving page.

Betsy, the Havens Hospices butterfly mascot, Colin Felton, from the Freemasons, and Andy Smith, Havens Hospices chief executive waved off the group as they left.

Mr Smith said: "Thanks to the groups generosity several of the children we care for, and their main carers, were able to enjoy a fun-filled trip to Disneyland and create some wonderful memories.

"For these families a trip like this would normally be logistically unthinkable due to the amount of medical equipment the children require and the huge amount of organisation that goes into a trip like this.

"But thanks to the Jumbulance Trust and Essex Freemasons, it has been made possible."

He added: “At Little Havens Hospice we care for babies, children and teenagers with life-limiting conditions.

"We provide respite, symptom management and end of life care as well as support for the whole family.

"Whether we care for a child for months, weeks or even just days we can make a real difference to their lives, ‘Making every day count’ for those we care for.”