OUT of the nominations we received this year in the Fundraiser category, three people have been carefully selected as the most impressive.
The finalists for 2019 are: Molly-Mae Windle, Helen Lynch and Tabitha Wood.
The category is dedicated to those who put in the extra effort to help source the funding to help schemes happen and to make sure charities and organisations are always on hand to help.
MOLLY-MAE WINDLE, who also made the final for the Young Active Citizen category, has been chosen for her tireless work for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity’s Rays a Smile Appeal in Bradford. Molly-Mae wants to make radiology departments more child-friendly to create a less scary environment.
She has spent the past year coming with creative ways to fundraise for her school in a bid to transform the space.
Molly-Mae attended the opening of JYST, a Bradford store who helped the Rays a Smile Appeal. She won the hearts of the staff and visitors and was presented with a voucher. But rather than take this for herself, she decided to start a raffle to raise £1,000 with the hopes of refurbishing one of the treatment rooms at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
Molly-Mae said: “I feel very proud to be nominated for the Fundraiser Award. To be recognised for my fundraising is amazing.
“I am very passionate about my fundraising and love raising money for the Bradford Hospitals Charity. Helping other children to feel less scared in hospital is so important to me as I live with Cystic Fibrosis and know the anxieties that can come with hospital visits. I have also raised money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. I love to see others smile.”
HELEN LYNCH is recognised for helping to fund specialist equipment for surgeons at Bradford Hospitals Charity.
Following her own cancer diagnosis, Helen wanted to give thanks to those who helped save her own life.
In 2019, she surpassed her own expectations and raised £12,000 - £7,000 above her target for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity.
The money funded tools for the surgeon who improved Helen’s health and to save other patients with life-threatening illnesses.
The equipment gives surgeons better access in surgery which may prevent the need for chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Helen also hosts an annual fashion show to raising money for those charities who helped during her illness and who will continue to make a difference to the whole community.
Helen is also a volunteer support worker at Bradford’s Deaf Youth Club.
The charities she supports include Sue Ryder Manorlands, Marie Curie, Yorkshire Cancer Support and more.
Helen, who was recently diagnosed with curable Leukemia, said: “Hopefully the treatments working.
“It’s been throroughly enjoyable putting the events together and to be nominated. Having had some cancer in 2017, I wanted to do something to pay back for all the fantastic support that I’ve had.”
TABITHA WOOD has been nominated after raising more than £22,000 for the teenage cancer ward at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).
After beating ovarian cancer two years ago, 15-year-old Tabby decided to organise a cycle ride from Charing Cross in London - where her specialist oncologist is - to the LGI, who monitor her. Through the cycle ride, which she completed with her father and brother, and other fundraising events, she raised the mind-boggling amount for the LGI and Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony Charity.
Tabby said: “I was surprised and pleased to be nominated as a Fundraiser in the Community Stars Awards. It began when on one of my check ups I asked the nurses on the ward how I could help and they suggested iPads for the eight beds on the ward.
"I was thrilled and shocked by how much we raised on the bike ride and it made want to do more to help so I started my own charity, TabbysTrust. I never expected to be nominated for an award, I just wanted to say thank you to the hospital for saving my life, but I am proud to have been nominated.”
Vote for your Community Star here
Voting deadline: Thursday, November 28
COMMUNITY STARS SHORTLISTS:
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