A SLEEPOVER with a difference in Warwick will bank funds for a local children’s charity.
Members and leaders of the 10th Leamington St Marks Rainbows will be camping out in Warwick’s Market Hall in a reenactment of the movie ‘A Night At the Museum’.
And all the cash raised will go to Molly Ollys, which supports children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
It is a cause particularly poignant for event organiser and Rainbow Guider Julie Brown whose 14-year-old granddaughter Eva lives with a life-limiting congenital heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This occurs when parts of the left side of the heart do not develop properly.
She said: “My beautiful granddaughter, who is now a Young Leader at St Marks Rainbows, will be taking an active part in the sleepover although she has a life-limiting illness herself, despite undergoing major surgery.
“We hope, as a family-run unit, we can raise funds to give children like Eva a wish. These children go through so much in their young lives, they are so brave.
“The whole theme around it is Night at the Museum and about being brave. They are all aware of what the charity does and they know that by them being brave they are going to be raising funds to help other children get through their treatment.”
Eva’s mum Tammy added: “Eva had a 66 per cent survival rate at birth and has undergone three major heart surgeries although this does not correct her condition but gave her a chance at life.
“Eva will require a heart transplant when her body can no longer cope. She is our true inspiration on how she copes despite struggling daily. Every birthday and milestone she has reached is something we never thought we would have and we cherish every moment of them.”
Around 16 children, some as young as four, will enjoy pizza, an animated movie and a quiz before settling down for the night, supervised by seven Rainbow leaders at the museum in Market Place on June 23.
Warwick-based Molly Ollys was established following the death of Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw’s eight-year-old daughter Molly from a rare kidney cancer and marked its tenth anniversary last year.
Since Molly Ollys started more than £3million has been raised to emotionally support children across the UK.
To support the Night At The Museum Sleepover visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/night-in-a-museum-molly-ollys-wishes
