Ellesse's Craft raises hundreds
Nine year old Ellesse Leigh Jolley has a new hobby and it is already raising hundreds of pounds for East Lancashire Hospice.
Mum Gemma Jolley bought her wooden discs to write on as a crafty hobby, but Ellesse has decided to do more than that. She is writing messages of love and remembrance on each one for a donation.
“I only bought her the set at the weekend.” Mum explained “Ellesse decided she wanted to use them to as an opportunity to commemorate loved ones, so we put a post up on Facebook, and it has just exploded. We have had at least forty orders already and are expecting more.”
By Wednesday she had already raised over £300.
The original plan was for her to sell them at just £1 each but people are so impressed, they are gifting more.
Each disc has a personal message and a heart drawn on in either red or blue. Ellesse has also decided to add footprints for requests they have received in memory of little ones. At the moment the discs are being placed on a tree near Gemma and Ellessa’s home.
The hospice means a lot to Ellesse and her mum. Ellesse’s grandmother is in the hospice at present.
Sharon Jolley was diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago and although went in remission it has since returned. For the past three years she has been using the hospice services. “She always comes away happier and more cheerful after spending time in the hospice. This Christmas was tough, but thanks to the hospice she is still fighting the disease and is still making us laugh.”
Sharon is well known in Blackburn; the former landlady of the Angel Hotel on Bolton Road, she was also the Bingo caller at The Havelock Inn and spent some time as a taxi driver. Now 56, she is proud of her granddaughter’s decision to try to raise money for the East Lancashire Hospice
Ellesse attends Longshaw Juniors where her nickname is Sneakers and lives just a few minutes away from East Lancashire Hospice, which she walks past every day.
“It was Ellesse’s decision to do this for the hospice. The hospice is so special. My mum always bounces back after she has spent time here.”
At present mum Gemma is spending £18 on each pack of discs and has already had to order another pack from Amazon.
“This was money we were going to donate to the hospice. It is fantastic to see it making even more for such an important place. I know it costs a lot each year – about £4 million, that’s about £11,000 a day to look after my mum, so it’s lovely that Ellesse is doing this for the hospice."