Author: Lorraine

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Some days you just know you will remember forever, and our Spring Fair was certainly way up there. We had been planning this event for almost 12 months and we wanted to put on an even better day than last year if that was possible.

All our wonderful volunteers came back on board along with some wonderful new recruits too. Everyone was amazing and nothing was too much trouble.

After weeks of watching the weather the actual day came around really fast, and we were so lucky that the sun beamed down for us for the whole of the day.

We had well over 3,000 visitors which was just amazing to see and way beyond our expectations, it was wonderful to see every single person there.

The event was supported by a huge amount of local businesses and community groups and we would like to thank each and every person that came along and supported us, whether that be as a volunteer, trader, visitor, local community group or business. We feel very honoured to have had you all there with us.

All the money is in, we have finally finished counting, and are therefore extremely thrilled to announce that our Spring Fair has raised an amazing £6,156.52!

Every single pound will help us support children and families who are admitted into hospital after their child has been diagnosed with a cancer related illness.

Thank you from every single one of us at Milly’s Smiles, you have helped us to make a real difference and we are so grateful to you all.

#MillysSmiles #SpringFairSuccess #MakingADifference #ThankYou #CommunitySupport #ChildhoodCancerSupport

A few weeks ago, we received a lovely email from two Year 9 students from The Hyndburn Academy. Evelyn and Phoebe wrote to ask if they could volunteer with Milly’s Smiles as part of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

As a community focused charity, we were delighted to welcome them to our unit in Great Harwood, and over the past few weeks, Evelyn and Phoebe have visited us three times. Twice after school to help pack Milly Bags (which they did beautifully!) and today during their half-term break, where they put together the toiletries and wash bags that sit in the side pocket of our Milly Bags.

From the outset, Evelyn and Phoebe were an absolute pleasure to have, both girls have been polite, committed, and enthusiastic about supporting our work. They showed a genuine interest in what we do, asking thoughtful questions about the contents of the Milly Bags and taking the time to understand how each item supports families during their hospital stay. Their interest went far beyond simply volunteering, they truly wanted to understand the impact of our work.

Wanting to go one step further, and support us financially, Evelyn and Phoebe organised and completed an incredible fundraising challenge. They undertook an 11km hike up Blencathra, via the famously demanding ‘Sharp Edge’ route. Not only did they face this challenge with determination and courage, they also planned and coordinated the entire event themselves, with support from their families

Their efforts have raised just over £1,000 which will help us continue supporting families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis. This is an outstanding achievement that will make a massive difference to families arriving into hospital unexpectedly.

We are so proud of everything Evelyn and Phoebe have accomplished. Their initiative, resilience, and compassion are shining examples of what young people can achieve when they put their hearts into something.

Thank you so much girls, we really are grateful for your support.

#DofE #StudentSuccess #MillysSmiles #EducationWithCharacter #WideningHorizonsHYA #BlencathraChallenge #InspiringYoungPeople

A huge shout out to the incredible Breanna, who this weekend took on the challenge of running the Edinburgh Marathon for Milly’s Smiles.

To reach the start line after months of hard training is a massive achievement in itself, and to then cross the finish line is nothing short of inspiring.

Breanna committed to 504 miles of training over 6 months in preparation for the main event yesterday, and completed the marathon in just 3 hours, 56 minutes and 5 seconds which is just incredible!

Because of Breanna’s efforts and the incredible generosity of everyone who donated, shared her fundraiser, or sent messages of encouragement, a massive £1,745 (and counting!) has been raised , which will all help us to continue making a difference at a time when families feel their entire world has collapsed.

From all of us at Milly’s Smiles, thank you, thank you, thank you, enjoy your well-earned rest, you have absolutely earned it and we are so very proud of you.

#MillysSmiles #EdinburghMarathon #ThankYouBreanna #MakingADifference

A HUGE thank you to the brilliant team at Nightingales Garage in Great Harwood!

Throughout the month of April, these wonderful people decided to support Milly’s Smiles in the most generous way, they decided to donate £5 from every job they carried out. From MOTs to mystery rattles, they turned spanners into smiles, and by the end of the month had raised an incredible £855!

But their kindness didn’t stop there, the team have been amazing cheerleaders for us too, by sharing our posts, spreading the word about what we do, and even popping down to support our events in person.

We are beyond grateful for their continued support, thank you Nightingales, for your amazing generosity and for helping us to make a difference every day to children newly diagnosed with cancer.

Last September, I had the absolute pleasure of joining the adult tappers from Gillies Mar-Jan Stage School to rehearse for the 4th Shine for Sally Dance Extravaganza. Every Monday evening was filled with laughter, rhythm, and plenty of tapping as we prepared for the big event, which took place at the end of November last year.

Shine for Sally is a truly special event consisting of a charitable dance show in memory of a beautiful young lady, Sally, who sadly passed away from Ewing Sarcoma at just 14 years old. Sally was treated on Ward 84 at The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where she received her Milly Bag, which she loved, and Milly’s Smiles became her favourite charity.

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to come to know Sally’s beautiful family, and I feel incredibly privileged to call them my friends. It’s strange, but I truly believe that in some way, our beautiful girls have brought us together.

The event itself was spectacular, with talented dancers and singers lighting up the stage and entertaining audiences across two fantastic performances.

Through all the hard work, passion, and love poured into the event, a remarkable £6,000 was raised! This incredible amount has been split between Milly’s Smiles and Derian House.

Last week, I had the honour of being presented with a cheque from all the wonderful dancers. A huge thank you to Sally’s amazing family for supporting us, for allowing me to be a small part of such a beautiful event, and for raising such a phenomenal amount of money for us. I just know that Sally will be so proud of her mum, her dad, and her gorgeous big sister.

Last week, we sent our third pallet of 20 Milly Bags over to Kamran’s Ward at Oxford Children’s Hospital, and we’re so pleased to say it arrived safely and without a hitch!

The bags were collected from the main entrance by the wonderful staff and taken straight up to the ward, ready to be given to families arriving on the ward for the very first time.

It was especially lovely to receive a message from the Ward Manager, who shared with us that when she walked into the four-bedded bay, “every child was using something from their Milly Bag. Two were brand-new patients and two a couple of months into treatment. We have also had lots of lovely feedback about them; the families are very, very grateful.”

Hearing this means the world to us. Knowing that Milly’s Smiles is able to make a difference at a time when families feel that their entire world has collapsed is why we continue this important work, we are humbled to be able to support so many families every single day.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who makes this possible, we know that what we do is very much a team effort, and we could not make the difference we do without such widespread incredible support.

Yesterday was another special day as we delivered 20 Milly Bags to Ward 3B at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, bringing our total number of bags delivered to Liverpool to an incredible 490. That’s 490 families across Liverpool, The Wirral, North Wales and the Isle of Man that we’ve been able to support via Alder Hey, during one of the most challenging times of their lives. We are truly so proud to be able to continue making this difference every single day.

This time, Graeme was joined by a new volunteer, Nick, who is no stranger to Milly’s Smiles! Nick is a member of Sabden Cricket Club and has been heavily involved in their amazing fundraising activities for us over the last few years. Nick’s first delivery went very smoothly, and he did a wonderful job!

A massive thank you to everyone who continues to donate to Milly’s Smiles, and to our fantastic delivery team, Graeme and Nick, for making sure the bags arrived safely.

Our SOULS group last month was a little different, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and headed out for a walk along the Tolkien Trail in the Ribble Valley. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the scenery was simply breathtaking. Surrounded by nature’s beauty, it was the perfect setting for reflection, connection, and moments of peace.

We took a short rest by the riverbank, soaking in the tranquility, sharing stories, and enjoying some refreshments. There was a quiet comfort in the stillness, a sense of togetherness that words can’t quite capture.

But the day didn’t end there. After our walk, we made our way to Mitton Hall for a truly wonderful Afternoon Tea. The room was filled with warm chatter, genuine laughter, and so much love. In that space, we found joy in each other’s company, a reminder that even in loss, there are moments of light.

We may be a group of bereaved parents and siblings, but together we find strength, comfort, and even joy, celebrating the small things in life that remind us of the love we carry forward. Our beautiful day was shared with beautiful people, brought together by our much-loved and deeply missed children.

Our SOULS group is completely free to attend and is open to anyone who has lost a child/sibling/grandchild. Please get in touch via email at hello@millyssmiles.org if you would like to come to our next group on Sunday 25th May.

It was a pleasure to welcome the lovely Sharon and her husband Ian into the unit today, as they popped in to hand-deliver a fantastic £150 donation, raised by the incredible team at Tesco Express, Earnshaw Bridge through a staff raffle!

We’re always blown away by the kindness of our community, and this thoughtful gesture means so much. Behind every pound raised is time and effort and we never take that for granted.

Every penny really does help us continue our work, making sure children who are newly diagnosed with cancer receive a Milly Bag at a time when they need it the most.

To Sharon, Ian, and the amazing Tesco Express team: thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support. You’re helping us make a real difference, every single day.

HUGE congratulations to the incredible Carl and Andy, who recently took on the London Marathon, crossing the finish line with determination, courage, and strength.

Both runners absolutely smashed it… but the day wasn’t without its challenges. At mile 21, Andy was hit with severe heat exhaustion and had to receive urgent treatment from paramedics before bravely walking the final few miles to the finish line. He was later admitted to hospital for further care — a reminder of just how unpredictable and gruelling these events can be, no matter how well you train.

To simply get to the start line of the London Marathon takes huge commitment. To keep going when your body wants to give up is truly inspiring.

Carl and Andy, your resilience and dedication mean the world to us, you have both raised vital funds for Milly’s Smiles with strength, dedication and courage.

From all of us at Milly’s Smiles a massive THANK YOU.