The Floating Florista Foundation & It's Purpose

The Floating Florista Foundation was set up in memory of our daughter and sister, Gemma Willis, also known as Floating Florista. Who lost her battle with cervical cancer in October 2021 aged 30.

The purpose of the foundation is to help make the lives of other cancer warriors a little better by gifting relaxing respite days at The Floating Florista Beach Hut Walton On The Naze and offering other relaxing activities for those currently having treatment. Through the foundation we are also spreading awareness of cervical cancer, that it doesn't always have symptoms as in Gemma's case and the importance of pap smear tests talked about through the #doitforgem campaign doitforgem.com which was launched in 2023.

The Meaning Behind The Floating Florista Beach Hut

In 2021 funds were raised to help provide Gemma with vital immunotherapy treatment that is not available on the NHS which unfortunately came too late. It was suggested by many after Gemma passed away to do something with the funds raised for her that she would of loved, something she always said she would love to have was a Beach Hut after spending summer days out at British seaside resorts growing up where we would see many of the beautiful coloured beach huts. We spent some of the last days of summer 2021 out at the seaside with Gemma just a month before she passed away, the last place we spent the day at a beach hut was Walton On The Naze.

In 2022 we started enquiring about and viewing huts that were for sale, we looked in different areas all the way up to Norfolk but we kept being drawn back to Walton. After viewing many that we didn't like due to the position or the condition of them in Walton we randomly came across this particular one with a hand written For Sale sign nailed to the front of it while we were walking back to our car one day. A couple of months later the hut was purchased and during the summer of 2022 we completely refurbished it to Gemma's taste based on two of her favourite places, Palm Beach & The Beverly Hills Hotel.

It's position on the top row away from the hustle & bustle of the busy front row promenade is the perfect spot for peaceful relaxing days with a great view over the beautiful wide sandy beaches below, the perfect place for respite days that Gemma would have loved and that we hope cancer warriors and their carer or close family will also love.

Funds donated to the foundation will be used to:

• Provide relaxing respite days at The Floating Florista Beach Hut, including Afternoon Tea, known as 'A Gemma Day'. Gemma loved an Afternoon Tea and would always treat me (her mum) to one for Birthdays, Mothers days and Christmas or sometimes 'just because' which was her excuse to do something nice. Knowing what Gemma went through and how much she enjoyed a respite day in between treatments we want to be able to carry this experience forward for others to enjoy.
• Allow us to provide other respite and relaxing experience days based on activities that Gemma loved to do to relax and take her mind off everything that was going on including: creative floristry workshops, arts & crafts workshops, therapeutic painting classes and relaxing yoga sessions. All of which I am currently in the process of organising and putting together to be able to offer in 2024 through the foundation.
• Fund the #doitforgem campaign awareness talks which will be given in senior schools, colleges, universities, work places, health & wellness events, other relevant events as well as superyacht industry events, the industry Gemma worked in and was passionate about. The talks cover cervical cancer awareness, education on the importance of regular pap smear tests and how they can help to detect early symptoms and act as a reminder that this can happen to anybody, no matter how healthy and invincible you think you are!
• Help with the associated costs of respite days and beach hut maintenance
• The foundation will also liaise and help with other chosen charities that share a related mission.

Beach Hut respite days and activity days are gifted through our 'Nominate A Cancer Warrior' invitation.

Please contact us to nominate.