‘I didn’t want anyone to feel left out of the magic and spirit of Christmas’

Lily Watson, a pupil at St Bernard’s RC Primary School in Ladybridge, came up with the idea of creating colourful loom bands by hand and selling them to raise money for Hits Radio’s Cash For Kids Mission Christmas campaign.

The charity supports children living in poverty across Greater Manchester, including the one in three families in Bolton who are living below the poverty line.

Mission Christmas is especially aimed at making a difference during the festive season by making Christmas magic with gifts for children who might otherwise go without.

Cash for Kids invited Lily to the Mission Christmas warehouse to present her with a big cheque photo opportunity (Image: Steven Watson)

Lily said: “I heard about Mission Christmas and decided I wanted to do something to help other people who are not as lucky as us.

“I didn’t want anyone to feel left out of the magic and spirit of Christmas.

“I am good at making loom bands and thought if I made some and sold them I could raise some money to help Cash for Kids.

“I feel absolutely amazing and proud of myself for raising £1,015.

“This is way more than I thought I would raise, and I hope it helps lots of children have a Happy Christmas.”

Lily provided all the materials from her own collection, took orders, made each loom band by hand and posted them herself.

To spread the word, Lily even attended an early morning online business networking meeting before school.

There, she pitched her idea to 30 business owners and quickly surpassed her initial fundraising target of £200, raising the full amount in just one day.

Her efforts continued throughout the week and donations poured in, ultimately bringing her total to £1,015.

To thank donors, Lily recorded personalised video messages and managed every part of the campaign herself, from making the bands to writing the envelopes.

In recognition of her hard work, Lily was invited by Cash For Kids Greater Manchester to visit the Mission Christmas warehouse in Trafford Park for a ‘big cheque’ photo.

Lily met charity staff Jess Rigby and Leah Wegener during her visit to the Mission Christmas warehouse in Trafford Park (Image: Steven Watson)

She met charity manager Jess Rigby and fundraising executive Leah Wegener during her visit.

Cash For Kids is the official charity of Bauer Media that works year-round to support disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

Its mission is to help children by tackling poverty, illness, and neglect, easing the challenges of additional needs.

This year through Mission Christmas the charity has helped over 39,000 children in Greater Manchester, including many in Bolton to receive a Christmas present this year when they ordinarily would not have done.

Through partnerships with businesses, charities and community groups, Cash For Kids provides year-round grant funding.

Source – INDIA TV