Ceri Menai-Davis

Political campaigner & communicator | Driving #HughsLaw with cross-party support & gov consultation | CEO & Co-Founder @ItsNeverYou I Director Bridgedown Group

[It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better @ItsNeverYou22]

A Dad has walked over 100kms carrying his late 6 year old son’s shoes from the hospital where his little boy died to the doors of Downing Street.

Ceri Menai-Davis lost his 6-year-old son, Hugh, to cancer in 2021. This week, he completed an emotional journey to deliver a letter backed by more than 150 MPs and Lords calling for a new law to support parents of seriously ill children.

On his back was a 20kg rucksack filled with the names of 450 children affected by cancer and Hugh’s shoes which he wore into hospital on 7th September 2021 and never came home in.

🧡 “Every step hurt, but not as much as losing him. I promised I’d create a legacy for him and I hope I have .”

#HughsLaw #ItsNeverYou #ParentsDeserveBetter

Credit: @themenai

@ladbible @pubity @yourpositivenews @bbcnews @thetinderblog @dailymail @dailymirror @thesun @skynews

[It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better @ItsNeverYou22]

The incredible @Tanni_GT a tireless supporter and campaigner for Hugh’s Law spoke at our event two weeks ago about why this law matters so deeply.

Tanni took an amendment through the House of Lords on our behalf, which was narrowly defeated. Her passion and determination to stand up for parents shows how much this issue crosses party lines.

This is why we keep fighting , cross-party, as a collective, as parents and as people, because we understand parents need dignity and support when their child becomes critically ill.

If you’d like to stand with us and be part of this movement, please DM me.

https://t.co/JNZpgMfNex

#HughsLaw #ParentsDeserveBetter #ChildhoodIllness #ParentalRights

[Christopher Bloore @ChrisBloore]

Proud to back Hugh's Law, a campaign by @ItsNeverYou22, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. No parent should ever have to choose between their child’s hospital bedside and their livelihood. Families in Redditch & across the UK deserve job protection and support 🎗️

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Thank you @CHinchliffMP for you support

[It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better @ItsNeverYou22]

A huge thank you to @CHinchliffMP for once again standing with us and the parents of sick children and for hosting today’s powerful drop-in at Parliament. 🦋

Every voice shared takes us one step closer to #HughsLaw.

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Thanks @ellielexx

[Ellie Lexie @ellielexx]

Yesterday I returned to the House of Commons with my local MP Chris Coghlan, to show support for #HughsLaw, a movement led by It’s Never You Charity. @ItsNeverYou22

Hugh was just six years old when he tragically lost his battle with cancer in 2021.

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Thank you @grahamemorris for your support

[Grahame Morris MP @grahamemorris]

Yesterday I attended the #HughsLaw drop-in in Parliament. Parents shouldn’t be forced to take unpaid leave or risk losing job while their child is fighting for life. The financial, emotional & mental strain is devastating. I fully support #HughsLaw 💛 @ItsNeverYou22

[It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better @ItsNeverYou22]

Was lovely to meet @johnmcdonnellMP at our drop-in event on Tuesday.

Thank you for showing your support for #HughsLaw parents of critically ill children deserve the right to be by their child's side when crisis hits.

#ParentsDeserveBetter #ItsNeverYou

[ITV News @itvnews]

Labour is considering a law which will give financial support to parents of critically ill children, after a campaign for 'Hugh's Law' by the @ItsNeverYou22 charity https://t.co/I9HlzE7LID

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Great to meet you @RichardBakerMP and thank you for your support

[Richard Baker MP @RichardBakerMP]

I stand with Ceri Menai-Davis in pushing for statutory paid leave for parents whose child is battling serious illness. #HughsLaw

No parent should face poverty when their child desperately needs them by their side, holding their hand.

#parentsdeservebetter
@ItsNeverYou22

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Was an honour to share my story on @BBCRadio4

[BBC Radio 4 Today @BBCr4today]

An amendment to give parents paid leave when their children are sick in hospital is being presented in the House of Lords tonight.

Campaigner Ceri Menai-Davis, whose 6-year-old son Hugo died of a rare cancer, tells #R4Today why the amendment, called Hugo's Law, is needed.

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Was a pleasure to join @CamillaTominey on @GBNEWS a few weeks ago to talk about the campaign for #HUGHSLAW . Remember if your child is ill, you have no legal right to leave work and be by their bedside . This is why change is needed .

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Four years ago today, my wife and I were told the words no parent should ever hear: “Your son is going to die.” I asked the doctor what I should do. His reply was: “Be strong.” But why, in a world where mental health is supposed to be at the forefront, is “be strong” still the only advice I got?

We walked out of that room and sat by a vending machine in the hospital foyer, numb. No one came. No support was offered. No mental health team, no cushioning blanket put around us. Just silence.

Ten days later, Hugh passed away on 18th September at 11.20pm. At midnight, we left the children’s ward for the last time. We sat on a cold kerb outside the hospital, in the dark, alone. That’s how it remained. The community nurses stopped coming. The GP never called. And when I begged for help with grief and PTSD, I was told I’d need to wait 12 weeks.

👉 Is this how we expect parents to be treated when their child is gravely ill or dying?
👉 Should mental health support be a postcode lottery?
👉 Should it depend on overstretched charities or private money?

It should be there in every hospital, for every parent, from day one. Today, I have written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to request a meeting on the next phase of Hugh’s Law. We must ask why perinatal parents rightly get structured NHS mental health support, while parents of critically ill children are left with nothing and reliant on the kindness of charities.

Because no family should ever be told “be strong” and then be left to face that kind of hell on their own.

Let me know your thoughts and experiences below 👇

#HughsLaw #MentalHealth #ParentsDeserveBetter #ItsNeverYou

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Sadly our planned meeting with @AngelaRayner next week won’t go ahead, but we know she would have listened with care. We hope to carry that same conversation forward with the new Deputy Prime Minister.

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

#NewProfilePic

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

Very much looking forward to being on the @theJeremyVine show tomorrow on @BBCRadio2 representing @ItsNeverYou22 and talking about the need for Hugh’s Law

[GB News @GBNEWS]

Adam and Sophie speak to the father of Hugh Menai-Davis, who passed away in 2021 at the age of six after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Ceri is campaigning for ‘Hugh’s Law’, to provide parents of terminally ill children with financial support.

[It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better @ItsNeverYou22]

When Hugh was diagnosed in October 2020, we were told he had less than a 30% chance of survival. As parents, we faced unimaginable fear and heartbreak. But beyond the emotional toll, there was another battle—financial survival.

We had to wait three months to prove Hugh was “truly disabled” before we could even apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA)—the only financial support available to working parents when their child is diagnosed with cancer.

We believe this is wrong. Parents shouldn’t have to wait 90 days for support during the toughest time of their lives. DLA should be available from day 1.

Now imagine yourself in that position. What would you do if your child was diagnosed tomorrow? What would happen to your family if you couldn’t go to work?

This is why we’re fighting for Hugh’s Law, to ensure no parent is left unsupported when their child is facing cancer.

#HughsLaw #ItsNeverYou #ChildhoodCancer #SupportParents #Day1Support #FightForChange

[It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better @ItsNeverYou22]

Last table for the butterfly ball at @HanburyManor on 30th November . Will be an amazing event. Email [email protected] for more info

[Ceri Menai-Davis @themenai]

The Bridgedown Collection: Three courses , One membership, Unlimited fun.

A flexible membership that works for you. Coming soon ⛳

For more information please email [email protected]

#golf #golfing #golflife #golfgti #golfcourse #london #londonlife #londoncity

[It’s Never You I Parents Deserve Better @ItsNeverYou22]

🚨EXCITING NEWS🚨 WE GO AGAIN!!! Hugh's Law 2.0 🦋

On 2nd September, Ceri and Frances will be going back to @10downingstreet to hand in our petition and an open letter to the new Prime Minister @keirstarmer . If you have been that parent who has been looking in their bank account whilst sitting next to a child in hospital and thinking how am I going to get through this not just emotionally but financially, this is for you. For too long parents of a sick child have fallen through a loop hole, where there is support emotionally and financially when you bring a child into the world, but nothing offered when it is the most anxious and mentally challenging time of your life. We can change this , if you can share out petition, sign it and get the message out, THIS IS FOR YOU AND THE PARENTS WHO NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THEM!

Link to sign below 🧡

https://t.co/1D7gRwhKNh

#change #changeisgood #changes #government #cancer