OUR charity of the month for July, make a real difference to the families of terminally ill children.

Jump, based in Great Sankey, creates professional photo albums called memory books for parents to treasure.

WORKING for a charity that supports children who are terminally ill by creating photo albums for their parents, is a challenging job.

Especially if you’re the photographer.

Kate Bannister works for Jump, based in Payne Close, Sankey.

It is her job to capture what are sometimes the final moments between mums and dads, and their children.

“Learning how to deal with it on a personal level is a challenge,” said Stockport resident.

“I went to a hospital once where the life support machine was going to be turned off, so I only had a few hours to take photos.

“We did them in the ward, with the family, so it’s learning how to deal with pressure like that.”

Kate was invited to join the charity by founder Christine Bentham, who started it after the death of grandson, Woolston three-year-old Jacob Hawthorn.

Jump stands for Jacob’s Unique Memory Pot.

Since joining, building relationships with families has been key, according to Kate, often meeting several times before a memory book is made.

‘Anything they want’ can be in a shoot, including pets.

She said: “Most families I visit at home, as they can’t get out to a studio.

“You get a really personal connection with them, as they are in the toughest scenario of their lives, but you have to find some sort of level to bond with them.

“It can be difficult.

“You have to switch off to what may happen to that child in the future, and provide the best memory you can for them.

“You don’t want to get bogged down in the sadness, but focus on the light, and the love of the family.”

Kate, aged 32, did her first photography job as a 16-year-old at a wedding, and now has her own studio.

She has worked for Jump for nine years, helping hundreds of families.

“The reason we do it, is not about it being rewarding, but the difference we see it makes for them,” she added.

“I don’t think there’s another charity out there like it, that does things so personally.”

To find out more about Jump, go to jumpchildrenscharity.co.uk.