Jo’s journey from starting a charity to running her own ‘business’
FROM starting a charity in her bedroom after having her second child Danniella to have raised more than £1m. to support families with premature babies, Jo Priaulx has been the driving force behind the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation.
Jo started the charity in 2003 after her daughter Danniella was born early. Her son Seb, born in 2001, was also premature.
‘I wanted to give back after having Danni early as well,’ she said.
‘We started by doing one event, a big ball at Beau Sejour to fundraise for an incubator, and raised £45,000, and that just inspired me to carry on.’
Now, more than 20 years later, the charity holds multiple fundraising events and campaigns throughout the year.
‘The only challenge really would be if fundraising dried up, so we need to keep being fresh and having new ideas,’ said Jo.
Jo said that running a charity had changed a lot since she first started.
‘It’s now much more like a business and much more intense,’ she said.
‘I am having to learn new things as I go, and am really having to dig deep but I think that’s something women in general are really good at, being very strong and resilient when they could have given up.
‘Setting up a charity takes a lot of work, dedication and passion about the cause, but it also gives you a purpose.
‘I started from the beginning and have come from nothing with the charity, so it just shows if you have the passion, anyone can do it.’
The charity has successfully provided boxes for many families in Guernsey who have had premature babies and offered compassionate housing close to the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton and Southampton General Hospital.
‘They are some of our biggest successes in the last 10 years when the charity really took off.’
The charity has gone from strength to strength, but Jo admits that she could not have done it without the support she has received an some inspirational role models.
‘From a charity point of view I really look up to Chris Hoy, but in terms of inspirational women I really look up to Mary Perkins,’ she said.
‘I wouldn’t have been able to have done any of this without my mum and dad, my team and our board of trustees. I have done more than what I thought I could do.’
The team at the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation is made up of three other women who support Jo in the day-to-day running of the charity.
‘We have an all women team – Sammy, Sara and Steph, who I couldn’t do this without – and our trustees,’ said Jo.
