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Local Celebrities Rally in the Race Against Time to Save Amelia’s Sight

8 Feb 2021

A group of big-hearted, local home improvement businesses have set up a virtual raffle to help a local family raise £250,000 to save their daughter’s eyesight.  The fundraising effort is being supported by a long list of Manchester celebrities and influencers.

Parents to five children, Mike and Lucy Carroll from Poynton, have campaigned tirelessly over recent years to support two of their children, Ollie and Amelia.  Devastatingly, both children have been diagnosed with the ultra rare life limiting neurodegenerative CNL2 Batten Disease.  This cruel disease robs seemingly healthy children of their abilities, one by one, until ultimately it takes their life.

Mike said: “As parents, all we want to do is look after and protect our children, and having to watch the two of them suffer like this is unbearable”.

Amelia Carroll

Watching Ollie go blind has been devastating for the young family, and the prospect of Amelia’s world also going dark without immediate intervention is unimaginable.  To support the family, Mike and Lucy’s friends and local community are getting together to help in the race against time to save the little girl’s sight.

Jo Hoddes, a friend of Mike and Lucy’s from neighbouring village Bramhall, organised an event before Christmas at the Fairy Trail Carrwood and raised almost £1,000.  She has now called on her local celebrity friends to launch an Instagram campaign.  The campaign, @bigjobsbybighearts featuring the virtual raffle is now gathering pace across the Greater Manchester community, in just a couple of days, a raft of well known Manchester famous faces have all posted in support of the campaign, offering to do all that they can to help the family.

The Fairy Trail Carrwood Fundraising Event

Jo said: “The current situation with Covid is making it almost impossible to fund raise, so the virtual raffle has been the perfect solution as time is against us.  We’re so pleased to see so many local people supporting us with the purchase of tickets, and grateful to all the celebrity supporters for helping to share the message far and wide.”

The ‘BIG JOBS by Big Hearts raffle features some amazing prizes including a £40,000 extension, a £10,000 kitchen, a £5,000 bathroom and a £5,000 patio or driveway.  All proceeds will go to the family’s two fundraising appeals, Ollie’s Army, and more specifically the Save Amelia’s sight campaign.  It is hoped that the raffle will provide the family with the much needed funds they require for Amelia’s treatment, and also benefit other children battling with the same disease.

Manchester businessman and founder of international fashion brand The Couture Club, Scott Shashua, is using his business connections to generate awareness for the fundraising drive.  He is committed to getting involved and has offered £500 worth of clothing as prizes and used his popular social media platforms to promote the raffle.

Scott says:  “Being a father and family man myself and living so close to Mike and Lucy, I have seen first hand what the family has been through with both Ollie and Amelia.  I wanted to get involved and show my support and hope everyone does the same.”

Mike said: We are absolutely overwhelmed with the support that we have received, and for Jo, Scott and the local celebrities stepping in to help amplify the campaign.  Sadly we know only too well from Ollie losing his sight, that Batten Disease waits for no one, and are committed to raising every penny of the £250,000 is needed to pay for Amelia’s hospital costs.

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