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
