Molly Olly’s Wishes 6 | Chalmers News PR

Spring into action and help trampoline park spread some Christmas cheer

Posted on November 22, 2019November 22, 2019 by admin

TRAMPOLINE park visitors in Warwick are being invited to spring into action and help spread extra Christmas cheer by supporting a new charity toys appeal.

Jump In Trampoline Park is collecting gifts for Molly Olly’s Wishes who will in turn distribute them to children in hospitals across the area.

Molly Olly's Wishes, Jump In, Christmas — Rachel Ollerenshaw and manager Sam Dunn

Between now and Christmas Eve the popular family attraction will accept new toys for children and young people aged up to 18 when handed in over the counter.

Plus there’s the chance to take part in the Name our Reindeer Competition. The winner, which will be announced on Boxing Day, will get to take home the ride-on toy.

Molly Olly’s Wishes was established in 2011 following the death of Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw’s eight-year-old daughter Molly from a rare kidney cancer.

It works to support children with terminal or life-limiting illnesses and their families and help with their emotional wellbeing as well as grant wishes and donate therapeutic toys and books to both children directly and to hospitals throughout the UK.

The charity’s mascot is a therapeutic toy lion called Olly The Brave who has his own Hickman line and a detachable mane which helps to explain and normalise the effects of chemotherapy. These form part of an Olly The Brave pack that has now been handed out to more than 40 hospitals, along with a book from the charity’s exclusive Olly The Brave series.

Part of more than £2m raised to date, has also been used to fund the first Molly Olly consultant in paediatric medicine at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Molly Olly's Wishes, Molly Ollerenshaw — Molly Ollerenshaw just a few weeks before she passed away, aged eight.

Rachel Ollerenshaw said: “We are extremely grateful to Jump In once again for their support. Donating toys is a great idea and will undoubtedly bring a smile to children and their families who are facing very challenging circumstances at what should be a fun, carefree time. These gestures whether big or small can help to make those dark days brighter. Thank you to everyone involved.”

Manager at Jump In Warwick Sam Dunn, said: “Christmas is a time for giving and here at Jump In we want to embrace that. As a family venue, we are delighted and proud to be partnering with this wonderful charity that works so tirelessly to help children and their families through such a difficult time.

“Please donate a small gift next time you visit us in the knowledge that it is bringing some joy to those most in need of it, especially at this time of year.”

There is plenty of fun to be had at Jump In’s new Christmas Parties, designed especially for groups of families and friends of all ages to enjoy.

Molly Olly’s Wishes also needs the support of companies and individuals to enable it to help more children. Please contact Rachel on 07747 854914. Further information or how to donate can be found at: www.mollyolly.co.uk

Available seven days a week, partygoers can choose from two unique packages Blitzen and Dasher, both of which have all the yuletide entertainment and refreshments laid on. To book call 01926 356290, contact hello@gojumpin.com or book online at www.gojumpin.com/locations/trampoline-park-warwick. Choose Christmas Party from the drop down menu.

Pioneering new app for local charity

Posted on October 8, 2019October 8, 2019 by admin

The leading figures in Warwickshire’s technology and gaming industries have come together to create a new digital character to help teenagers diagnosed with cancer.

Representatives from the Institute of Coding, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, One Health Care and games developers from Leamington Spa have brought their expertise together to create a new online digital character alongside the charity Molly Olly’s wishes.

Molly Ollerenshaw just a few weeks before she passed away, aged eight.

The character will develop the charity’s work in supporting young people through their cancer diagnoses and treatment by reaching an older teenage audience through an online platform.

Molly Olly’s wishes, which was founded by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw in 2011 following the death of their daughter Molly to cancer at the age of eight, provides special treats or equipment to children aimed at making dealing with cancer treatments more comfortable.

The tech experts have come together to develop Olly, who features in the charity’s book series and is also a soft toy mascot with detachable hair, into an online character for teenagers suffering with the disease.

The Institute of Coding is a Government initiative bringing together a network of employers, universities, training providers and professional bodies to create the skills needed for the digital economy. That expertise will help develop the new character alongside gaming designers, CWLEP’s digital connectivity arm and One Health Care, who specialise in digital healthcare.

Louise Phipps, from the Institute of Coding at Coventry University, said she was delighted to be able to help the charity to reach a new generation of patients.

She said: “The work that Molly Olly’s wishes does is so important for young people coming to terms with life-threatening illnesses and provides a really important tool for them to understand and share their experiences with the Olly character.

“Bringing together these experts to help provide their time and knowledge to this has been an incredible experience to be a part of.

Rachel Ollerenshaw added: “This is a fantastic opportunity for a small charity to develop with the help of experts who have very kindly donated their time to help us, which we are so grateful for.

“Alongside all the work we do with helping children to understand their illness, we also fund a consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine based at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and in the local community.

“Through all of these different methods, we are able to help support children and teenagers as they live with life-threatening illnesses and we’re so incredibly grateful for the support in expanding this help.”

For more information on the charity visit: www.mollyoll.co.uk

Win a car and support Molly Olly’s Wishes at Food Festival

Posted on August 20, 2019August 22, 2019 by admin

FOOD lovers are in for a tasty treat at this year’s Stratford’s food festival where a new car is just one of the things on the menu.

The Town Centre Food Festival, organised by Stratforward Business Improvement District (BID) and sponsored by Loxleys Restaurant and Wine Bar, returns on 21st and 22nd September and features a veritable feast of culinary delights on High Street, Henley Street and Bridge Street.

There’s plenty to get your teeth into from learning top tips at the demo theatre to sampling the live music around town; browsing the bustling 120-stall food market; getting hands-on at the free workshops in Bell Court; or exploring the town’s restaurants, cafes and pubs on the Food & Ale trails.

There’s even the chance to win a brand new Citroen for a year, as part of a raffle being held in aid of local children’s charity Molly Olly’s Wishes, courtesy of the festival’s sponsor Loxleys which has donated the impressive prize.

The Win a Car raffle will be one of the highlights of this year’s event, which champions local food and drink in Stratford-upon-Avon.

This year the cookery demo theatre, which entertains and educates with free cookery and drinks demonstrations, will be held at Bridge Street in an effort to reduce road closure disruption.

There is a ‘farm to fork’ demonstration where Loxleys chefs will take food lovers on a journey of one of the restaurant’s much-loved dishes, teaming up with Adam Lucock from local business Barry the Butcher, who supplies Loxleys, as well as the local famer who supplies him. Free workshops include a kids’ pizza master class, wine tasting and scone perfection lessons.

The taste trails will once again provide festival-goers with the opportunity to sample some of Stratford’s finest eateries for just £5, at venues such as Carluccio’s, El Greco, White Swan, Veeno and many more. Vote for your favourite taste trail experience and you could win a meal for two.

Back by popular demand, the ale trail returns to help people wash down the tasty morsels with a souvenir 1/3 pint ale trail glass and at least seven 1/3 pint samples at different venues.

Family-run restaurant Loxleys, which is based in the heart of Stratford on Sheep Street, is sponsoring the festival for the fourth year and this year has added the raffle to its contribution to the event.

For just £2 a ticket, participants will be in with a chance of winning the use of a brand new Citroen C3 for a whole year, with all proceeds from the raffle being donated to Molly Olly’s Wishes, which supports children with terminal or life-threatening illnesses and their families, granting individual wishes and donating therapeutic toys and books to both children directly and to hospitals throughout the UK.

Those hungry for more will be delighted to learn that this year’s food festival isn’t the end of the eatery experience for the town. Restaurants and cafes will also be hosting two weeks of special food offers and events from 4th-20th October as part of Stratford-upon-Avon Feasts where people can enjoy special menus, tantalising tasting and gastronomic adventures.

Stratforward Marketing and Events manager Tor Wilkes said: “A massive thank you has to go out to the 420 Stratford town centre businesses who fund this festival and provide the chance for everyone to see that Stratford’s food and drink industry is a recipe for success.”

Jonathan Lea, General Manager at Loxleys, said: “As a local, independent restaurant in the heart of Stratford, we love getting involved in the Town Centre Food Festival. It’s a great way of showing people from across the region exactly what we and all the other food and drink businesses in the town and surrounding areas can do.

“We’ve sponsored the festival for four years now and this year we really wanted to up the ante so came up with the idea for the raffle. This way we’re not just contributing to a great local event, but giving something back to help a local charity that does so much to help others.

Since 2012, Molly Olly’s Wishes has helped more than 1,500 children from new-born up to age 18 by granting individual wishes, from funding equipment to help a child live day to day with their condition, an alternative therapy treatment to complement traditional medicine, or even a special occasion or day out.

Rachel Ollerenshaw, trustee at Molly Olly’s Wishes said “We are extremely grateful to everyone at Loxley’s for their support. As a charity we have received an increased level of requests this year and the help is vital in ensuring that we can make a very real difference to children facing very challenging circumstances. It is great to be a part of the Food Festival and we would like to thank Loxley’s and all the businesses who are getting involved selling tickets.”

Loxleys will be selling tickets for the raffle from the Sheep Street restaurant in the run-up to the festival as well as at the event itself, when the car will be parked by its stand on Bridge Street, giving people the chance to see it for themselves.

To find out more about Molly Olly’s Wishes, or to donate, visit: www.mollyolly.co.uk

Teenager’s close shave for charity!

Posted on July 12, 2019 by admin

A PLUCKY 16-year-old from Wellesbourne has shed her long locks to help raise money and awareness for a local charity.

Florence Lloyd, a student at King’s High School for Girls in Warwick, has raised more than £450 so far after having her head shaved on Thursday (12th July).

Florence Lloyd, Molly Olly's Wishes — Florence before her head shave with Olly The Brave, the Molly Olly’s Wishes lion mascot. Photos: www.davidfawbertphotography.co.uk

Her hair will be sent to The Little Princess Trust – a charity that supplies and funds real hair wigs to children who suffer hair loss through illness – while proceeds will benefit Warwick-based charity Molly Olly’s Wishes.

The charity was established in 2011 following the death of Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw’s eight-year-old daughter Molly from a rare kidney cancer.

Florence, who is preparing to study A-levels in September, said: “A lot of the girls in my friendship group had been friends with Molly at Claverdon School and talk about her a lot so it’s as if she is also part of that friendship group, as if she is here.

“From everything I hear I thought she was so brave and had an amazing attitude. And it made me think about how brave all those children are who lose their hair through illness and I wanted to use that to help others.”

She added: “I was very nervous but couldn’t see what they doing at first because they started at the back. It was a very surreal feeling at the end when I saw myself. I looked so different.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet to be honest. It is quite a shock when I wake up in the morning and see myself in the mirror. But I’m proud of myself for going through with it. It looks and feels good actually!”

Florence’s family, including parents Caroline and John and brother Oliver, were all on hand to lend their support at Hair Management at Nuffield Wellbeing Centre on Warwick Gates.

Mum Caroline said: “We’re immensely proud of her. We are partly defined by our hair, especially girls and it’s a massive thing for her to do this.”

Trustee and founder of Molly Olly’s Wishes Rachel Ollerenshaw, said: “Hair loss is often a harder thing to accept than we maybe imagine. I remember when Molly lost her hair for the first time, how uncomfortable it felt for her both physically and emotionally.

“It became coarse and fell out in clumps and obviously changed how she herself and others saw her. Flo’s challenge is very symbolic and certainly makes a statement and draws attention to the issue of hair loss .

“For a girl of her age it is a big thing to do and we are very grateful to her for helping raise money and awareness for Molly Olly’s as well as donating her hair to The Little Princess Trust. Thanks also to Hair Management for their support.”

Donations can still by made here

Further information about Molly Olly’s Wishes or how to donate can be found at: www.mollyolly.co.uk

Molly Olly’s benefits from newsreader’s top tips

Posted on July 5, 2019July 5, 2019 by admin

A RADIO newsreader put her faith in local racing talent to win an annual tipping contest for a second successive year at Warwick Racecourse.

Touch FM’s Lindsey Alder will be donating her winnings to Warwick-based charity Molly Olly’s Wishes.

The contest ran over the course of the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival last month, with Lindsey taking victory on the final day of the season.

It was a close call with only two points separating Lindsey and runner up Roger Hart, with Lindsey benefiting from backing horses from local trainers like Dan Skelton.

Molly Olly’s Wishes supports children with terminal and life-threatening illnesses, which offers terminally ill children 0-18 pastoral support by granting ‘wishes’- which could be anything from buying new hospital equipment, to toys or experiences.

Lindsey said: “I’m delighted, and surprised, to win the contest for the second year in a row. Thanks to Warwick Racecourse for putting it on and commiserations to Roger who I pipped at the last post.

“After supporting soldier charity 353 last time out, I wanted to donate my winnings to another local charity and having interviewed the guys from Molly Olly’s Wishes a few times at Touch FM, I decided there was no better choice!

“If putting a few fantasy bets on some horses helps fulfil just one child’s wish, then I’m very happy with the result”.

Lindsey’s £350 donation will also help the charity fund their Olly the brave packs, that assist patient’s emotional well-being by normalising being in a hospital environment through therapeutic toys and books.

Rachel Ollerenshaw, Trustee at Molly Olly’s Wishes, added: “We would like to thank Lindsey for this kind donation and continuing to raise awareness for our charity.

“If people can’t always give money but can raise awareness by telling five people that’s brilliant as well.

“By making connections at local events like this we are able to find the right people to facilitate a wish for somebody like being a jockey for the day as an example.”

This year marked the fourth year that Warwick Racecourse welcomed the May racing carnival to its grounds with more than 11,000 visitors attracted over the month.

Andre Klein, General Manager at Warwick Racecourses, said: “We would like to express our thanks to all of the participants at this year’s tipping contest and everybody who joined us across the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival

“A special congratulations goes to Lindsey on taking first place for the second year in a row and for donating her winnings to Molly Olly’s wishes charity, another inspiring local cause.

“Lindsey’s win yet again proved the strength of racing talent we have in the region, as many of her backed winners came from right here in Warwickshire.”

For more information about Warwick Racecourse visit www.warwickracecourse.co.uk

To find out more about Molly Olly’s Wishes visit www.mollyolly.co.uk and for more information on how to donate https://www.mollyolly.co.uk/learn-about-donating/