Boost for Lancashire charity in memory of little Milly
A Lancashire charity has received a real boost in memory of Milly.
When little Milly lost her life to leukaemia, her mum Lorraine knew she wanted to help others in her situation.
Now, the charity she set up to provide much-needed assistance to the families of children diagnosed with cancer has received a major boost from Lancashire County Council politicians.
Lancashire charity Milly’s Smile was set up in 2015 by mum Lorraine Hargreaves after losing her 11-year-old daughter Amelia Grace Walmsley to leukaemia. After this heartbreak, she used her experience to help others who have received news that is any parent’s worst nightmare.
That is, by providing them with an emergency pack containing all of the essential items that are far from the minds of any family once they have received a devastating childhood cancer diagnosis.
Called a Milly Bag, these care packages include everything from toiletries and a notepad through to a clear water bottle, so that nurses can monitor fluid intake, and a digital thermometer to track their condition at home.
Now, thanks to a grant from local councillors, they will also include an item that is essential in the modern age, especially after spending untold hours away from home on a hospital ward – a phone charger.
County councillors from the borough, Lance Parkinson, Jordan Fox, Joel Tetlow, Ashley Joynes, Gaynor Hargreaves, and Sohail Asgar, have all pitched in to provide £2,000 to Milly’s Smile so that it can purchase 222 dual-port USB-C fast chargers.
This money will come from a share of each councillor’s discretionary funding pot, called the Local Member Grant, which they can put towards anything that improves the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of people in their area.
In their application for the funds, Milly’s Smile said: “We have been asked to include phone charger plugs in our Milly Bags, which are often among the items that families forget to bring when they are rushed to the treatment hospitals.
“Many arrive at the ward with low battery power after frantically calling their loved ones on the journey to the hospital. During this critical time, it is essential for family members to stay in contact.”
Accrington North’s Reform UK Councillor Joel Tetlow, who has also donated £500 to Oswaldtwistle’s St Mary’s FC for new kit, said: “I was really pleased to be able to support both of these fantastic local organisations through the Local Member Grants scheme.
“St Mary’s FC does a brilliant job of bringing young people together through sport, promoting teamwork, fitness and a real sense of community. It’s great to be able to back a club that gives so many local youngsters a positive outlet and helps them develop both on and off the pitch.
“Milly’s Smiles is an incredibly inspiring cause, providing vital support to families going through very difficult times. The work they do makes a genuine difference in our community, and I’m proud to support an organisation that offers such compassion and practical help to those who need it most.
“I’m always keen to support groups that strengthen our community and make a positive impact locally, and these are two excellent examples.”