Children’s charity golf day raises more than £26k

Children’s charity golf day raises more than £26k

A golf day organised in aid of Warwickshire children’s charity Molly Olly’s Wishes, which supports children with terminal or life-threatening illnesses, has raised an incredible £26,252.

Jointly organised and sponsored by Nottingham companies, Oakland International (which also has a site in Redditch) and Avanti Print and Packaging, 17-teams from across England, Scotland and Wales took part despite the challenging weather to compete for golf titles including Beat the Pro, Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin.

Molly Olly's Wishes, Oakland International, golf
One of the teams made up of, from left, Jacob Fenwick, Ben Ollerenshaw, Henry Silk and Will Neal.

The event took place at the Nottinghamshire Golf and Country Club and was followed by an evening auction and raffle of items donated by suppliers and supporters of the charity.

Molly Olly’s grants wishes, helps with emotional support and donates therapeutic toys and books to children directly and through hospitals across the UK. It grants around 40 wishes per month, an increase of 100% during lockdown, and at a time when funding has significantly reduced.

Charity co-founder Rachel Ollerenshaw said; “The golf day and auction were a huge success. We are extremely grateful to Jane, Lee, Paul and Holly at Oakland and Avanti for organising such a great day and helping to widen the reach of the charity with introductions to a new audience. All the golfers were very generous and big thanks to all the sponsors. Molly Olly’s has seen a sharp rise in the number of requests for support and the funds raised are much needed to enable us to fulfil those wishes which help to put a smile on poorly children’s faces.”

Molly Olly's Wishes, Oakland International, golf, charity

Oakland’s Chief Operating Officer Lee Whiting commented: “Molly Olly’s Wishes is an amazing charity which supports so many ill children throughout the UK. We would like to thank everyone who joined us and supported this, our first ever joint event of this nature, which we are now going to make into an annual event, setting our fundraising target even higher next year!”

Like so many other charities Molly Olly’s Wishes has found it difficult to fundraise over the last year due to the pandemic. An average wish costs around £500 and can range from a family day trip to a computer game to supermarket food vouchers.

To find out all the ways you can donate to Molly Olly’s Wishes, please visit here

Molly Olly's Wishes, Oakland International, golf, charity

Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw
Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw with the familiar Molly Olly’s pink van.

ABOUT MOLLY OLLY’S WISHES:

 Molly Olly’s Wishes was set up following the experiences of Molly over the five years she received treatment for kidney cancer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Throughout the 10 years that the charity has been running, it has:-

  • granted more than 2,100 wishes
  • supported more than 15,000 children
  • distributed more than 12,000 Olly The Brave books to more than 70 hospitals
  • raised more than £3 million

Between 2017 and 2020, the charity funded Birmingham’s first paediatric palliative consultant as there was no such consultant for the region. That position has now become permanent and is currently funded through the NHS.

The charity works alongside the NHS to support projects within the hospitals and the community. One key project was the creation and refurbishment of Magnolia House at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. This is a safe and non-clinical space where medical teams and families can have important discussions.

Counting down to South Pole Challenge for Molly Olly’s Wishes

Counting down to South Pole Challenge for Molly Olly’s Wishes

AIMING to raise £20,000 for children’s charity Molly Olly’s Wishes, businessman Dean Attwell is undertaking a gruelling three-week expedition to the South Pole, with every penny donated to the charity supporting children with terminal or life-threatening illness.

Self-funded and leaving on Monday 30th December, Dean, the Group Chief Executive of Redditch-based business Oakland International, said: “I know that we all get constantly bombarded with charitable donation requests, but I urge everyone to stop and take a look at Molly Olly’s Wishes, and when you do, you’ll see why I am pushing so hard to raise money for this great charity.”

Dean Attwell, Oakland International, Molly Olly's Wishes
Dean Atwell in training for his South Pole Challenge.

Molly Olly’s Wishes was founded by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw following the death of their daughter Molly Ollerenshaw who was diagnosed with a Wilms tumour. Sadly, following her five-year battle Molly passed away in 2011.

The charity grants individual wishes to children ranging from providing specialist equipment to help with day to day living, to alternative therapy treatment, and by granting wishes to ensure a child doesn’t become isolated. They have also created a therapeutic toy lion, Olly The Brave, and book, ‘Olly The Brave And The Wigglys’, to help with a child’s emotional well-being at the start of their treatment journey, which are donated to hospitals and individuals across the UK. In just two months the charity has received 79 wish requests. Wishes can vary from a request for a hoist for a hot tub to ease chronic muscle pain, to a bed, wig or a visit from a child’s superhero.

Molly aged eight.

Molly Olly’s Wishes Co-founder and Trustee Rachel Ollerenshaw commented: “Molly Olly’s Wishes are extremely grateful to Dean and all the team at Oakland for their support. This is an incredible challenge that Dean is taking on and we wish him every success. Every day children and families that Molly Olly’s help face physical and emotional challenges that they have no choice about. The money raised will help make those dark days brighter. Our work would not be possible without the kindness and generosity of companies and individuals and the wishes and Olly the Brave packs that make a real difference to children’s emotional well- being.”

Undertaking a demanding training regime leading up to the expedition, these last few weeks have seen training increase to ensure Dean can deal with the extremes of weather, temperatures and icy and snowy conditions he’ll find at the South Pole.

 

Dean Attwell, Oakland International, Molly Olly's Wishes

Said Dean: “We’ll be skiing up to 10 hours a day at an altitude of approximately 3,100m before we finally arrive at the South Pole on the 14th January 2019.

“Molly Olly’s Wishes has helped over 1,500 children ranging in ages from 0-18 across the country and donated Olly the Brave therapeutic toys and books to over 50 UK hospitals. All expedition costs are covered, so every penny donated goes directly to support the work of Molly Olly’s Wishes which does such amazing work.

“Thank you everyone in advance for donating as it means a great deal to me personally and to the many children the charity supports every day!”

To donate and support Dean please visit his fundraising page: https://lnkd.in/eNCwNjX and you can follow Dean’s training journey on Facebook: oakintuk Twitter: OaklandIntUK LinkedIn: oakland-international-limited

You can find out more about Molly Olly’s Wishes by visiting visit: https://www.mollyolly.co.uk/