Thursday 20 March 2014

How did we get here?!

We're using the word 'overwhelmed' a lot at the moment.  We're overwhelmed that we've reached over £43k, getting so close to our goal for Elliot.  We're overwhelmed at the generosity of donations and support we've received. And we often feel overwhelmed by the sheer hard work of our friends and family and even people we don't know.  Our supporters have been organising events, drumming up support from their business and social networks, and generally being amazing.

We've asked a few of our friends who've organised some fantastic events over the last few weeks to tell us a little bit about their successes over the next few blog posts.  Whether you've organised or supported an event, made a donation or shared our campaign with your friends, you've helped us get to where we are - ever closer to getting Elliot the operation he needs!

First up are Hanna and Izzie Butler, Mother and Daughter team extraordinaire.  Hanna has been pounding the pavements of Southbourne Grove encouraging local traders to support us.  You might remember the offers on our Facebook page before Christmas about how traders were helping us by donating a percentage of their takings on certain items. Hanna has continued her relentless work and the latest kindness is from HSBC who did a cake sale for customers last Monday.

Hanna's daughter Issie wanted to get in on the action to help her friend Elliot too.  We thought it would be cool to hear directly from Izze, so we asked her to tell us about her event:


Issie, Glitter Girl Queen!
1) How old are you Issie and how do you know Elliot?
I am 7 years old and I know Elliot because he used to go to Pre school with me and now he goes to my school.

2) Why did you want to organise an event?
Because Elliot has got problems with his legs and he needs lots of money to have an operation.  I wanted to help him because he is my friend.  I wanted to give him my Christmas money but Mummy & Daddy said it would be a good idea to try and do something to help him and raise more money.

3) And how did you come up with the Glitter Girls idea?
I had an idea for a party with dancing and all the things you do to get ready, like nails, and hair, and I came up with the Glitter Girls Disco Party. To start with it was just going to be my friends coming to my house, but Mummy thought more people might like to come.  We asked some friends and their Mummies if they would help us paint nails and do lots of beauty treatments.  We asked Father John if we could use the church hall for the party, and then Mummy and me went to lots of shops and asked them if they could donate things for it.  

4) What was the event like? Who came and what did you do at it?
All of my friends and some people from school came, as well as people from ballet and people from other schools who I didn’t know!  We had make up, hair crimping, face painting, make up, stick on earrings, glitter tattoos, nail painting, a pocket money stall and dancing.  My auntie Tanya, Evie & Freya’s Mummy and my dance teacher Yolanda all did dance routines for us.  It was lots of fun.  All the Daddies sold tea and cakes to the mums and dads, and the Mummies did the painting and stuff.

5) How much money did you raise?
We raised £800!  I sold tickets in the school playground with my friend Erin and we charged £1 for tickets and then on the day we asked for donations for the beauty treatments and the tea & coffee.

6) Wow, that's amazing! How did it make you feel?

It made me feel happy and excited.  

It made us feel happy and excited too, thank you so much for organising Glitter Girls for Elliot.