JAWS fan Jim Murray relaunches charity mission to transform mental health of seriously ill children
Imagine This, the only UK charity solely dedicated to children’s mental health, today unveils its new name as part of a bold new chapter in its mission to support the mental wellbeing of seriously ill children and their families across the UK. Formerly known as The Murray Parish Trust, the rebrand marks a renewed focus on this urgent and underserved area.
Founded in 2014 by actors Sarah Parish MBE and Jim Murray MBE, following the tragic loss of their daughter Ella-Jayne at just 8 months old, the charity has spent over a decade delivering life- changing projects in paediatric care in Hampshire, where the couple live. In 2024, the charity expanded its mission nationally in response to the growing need for mental health support in children’s healthcare.
MBE
Awarded in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List, their MBEs will be formally presented by HRH The Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle tomorrow. The Honours celebrate a decade of extraordinary dedication to improving the lives of seriously ill children and their families across the UK. Their leadership has driven vital progress in paediatric care, from funding life-saving medical equipment to championing imaginative, mental health-focused projects that offer children and families hope, connection, and support during the hardest times.
Rebrand
Today, The Murray Parish Trust is rebranding as Imagine This: an inspiring new name designed to capture hearts, inspire hope, and raise the profile of the urgent mental health crisis facing seriously ill children and their families. This fresh identity reflects the charity’s renewed commitment to being more imaginative, accessible, and far-reaching in its mission.
The need for mental health support for these children is immense and growing, and to meet this, Imagine This is positioning itself to scale its projects and extend its reach across the entire UK. With a clear focus on ensuring no seriously ill child or family faces the mental health challenges of serious illness alone, the charity’s mission is to reach every seriously ill child by 2035.
Key Statistics
There are more than one million seriously ill children in the UK. These children, and their families, are significantly more likely to experience poor mental health, facing trauma, anxiety, and isolation, often with little or no emotional support. Recent research shows that nearly one in five seriously ill children suffer from anxiety, and around one in seven live with depression, rates far higher than
those in the general child population1. The emotional toll extends to parents, who are often expected to cope alone. Mothers of seriously ill children are particularly vulnerable, with one in four experiencing anxiety or depression 2. Fathers, too, frequently report suffering in silence.3
Behind these statistics are children missing school, withdrawing from their friends, and struggling to cope with overwhelming diagnoses and medical trauma, without access to the broad, holistic support they urgently need. From creative therapies to peer connection, tailored emotional care, and safe spaces just to be children, these forms of support can be life-changing, but far too many go without.
“Imagine being told your child has a serious illness, and trying to hold your family together while navigating a world focused almost entirely on their medical care”, says co-founder Sarah Parish MBE. “We know that trauma firsthand, and we know how much more support families need. Without early, meaningful support, the impact on children and their families' mental health can last a lifetime. That’s why Imagine This exists: to help ensure no child or family faces the emotional toll of serious illness alone. Our vision is for every seriously ill child and their family to have access to the kind of imaginative, empowering support that helps them navigate their journey with connection, resilience, and hope. This new identity marks our commitment to every one of these children and their families.”
The name Imagine This captures both empathy and possibility, a reflection of the daily challenges faced by seriously ill children and their families, and a call to reimagine what meaningful support can look like. The charity delivers imaginative, diverse and impactful projects, helping families cope with the emotional and psychological toll of serious illness. These innovative projects include groundbreaking Positivity in Motion - dance, music and yoga therapy delivered in partnership with Synergy Dance Outreach, to children at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
“This isn’t just a name change,” co-founder Jim Murray MBE adds. “It’s the beginning of a bold, nationwide movement to transform how we support the mental wellbeing of seriously ill children and their families living through the unimaginable. Our ambition is clear: by 2035, we aim to reach every seriously ill child in the UK, bringing imaginative and innovative projects to children in hospitals, hospices, and communities across the UK. Imagine This is the only UK charity solely dedicated to this urgent need, and we’re just getting started.”
Professor Lorna Fraser of Palliative Care and Child Health at King’s College London says, “When a child becomes seriously ill, this can impact the entire family. Our research shows the impact of serious physical illness on the mental health of the children and their parents, and how difficult it can be to access timely and appropriate support. We need to prioritise mental health support - it is an essential component of care for children with serious illness and their families. Imagine this is helping to shift that thinking, and it’s long overdue.”
This milestone also marks the start of an exciting new chapter, with the appointment of Ellie Main as Head of Fundraising and Operations. Formerly Senior Fundraising Manager at BBC Children in Need, Ellie brings a wealth of experience in strategic growth and nationwide programme delivery, putting Imagine This in a strong position to scale its impact and reach every seriously ill child in the UK by 2035.
About Imagine This
Imagine This is a UK charity dedicated to the mental wellbeing of seriously ill children and their families. Founded in 2014 as The Murray Parish Trust, by Sarah Parish MBE, best known for her roles in Bancroft and Industry, and Jim Murray MBE, best known for appearing in Primeval and The Crown, from July 2025 the charity has evolved into a national force delivering imaginative, empowering projects for seriously ill children in hospitals, hospices and the community.
Over the past year, the charity has delivered projects in children’s hospitals and care settings across the UK, including in London, Bristol, Manchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, and soon to launch projects in Wales and Scotland, with more to come. By 2035, its vision is to reach every seriously ill child in the UK, ensuring no family faces the unimaginable without the support they need.
About Professor Lorna Fraser
Professor Lorna Fraser is a leading expert in paediatric palliative care and child health. Scottish and based at King’s College London as Professor of Palliative Care and Child Health and an NIHR Research Professor, she brings a background in clinical paediatrics and a research career dedicated to improving care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. At the Cicely Saunders Institute, she leads a research team focused on the needs of these children, their families, and the professionals who support them.
Professor Fraser’s work draws on routine healthcare data to address inequalities and inform national policy. Her research has shaped service specifications, palliative care funding models, and COVID- 19 vaccine prioritisation for vulnerable children. She holds a strong track record of funding, including three NIHR fellowships, and her commitment to working directly with children and families was recognised with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s Patient and Public Involvement Prize in 2022.
1 Barker, M.M., et al., Prevalence and incidence of anxiety and depression among children, adolescents, and young adults with life-limiting conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA pediatrics, 2019. 173(9): p. 835-844
2 Fraser, L.K., et al., Health of mothers of children with a life-limiting condition: a comparative cohort study. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2021. 106(10): p. 987-993
3 Fisher, V., K. Atkin, and L.K. Fraser, A mixed methods exploration of the health and caregiving experiences of fathers of children with a life-limiting condition. Palliative Medicine, 2025: p. 02692163251327877