A charity is launching a campaign that will benefit the children and families on West Cumberland Hospital’s children’s ward.
West Cumbrian charity Team Evie has launched its sixth Christmas Book Appeal, which asks people to sponsor a book from the list on the charity’s website which will then be added to the portable library which will be donated to the children’s ward for families to access for years to come.
Greg Johnston, Team Evie chief executive said, “Each year we are blown away by the support we get for the appeal, and this year is our biggest ever library we will donate with over 280 titles available to sponsor.”
The name of the person who sponsors each book is written inside the cover before it is added to the library, so families who use the books know who has given it as a gift this Christmas.
Greg added: “The appeal is one of the most popular events we run each year, we know it has become an annual tradition for many of our families who sit down together to choose their books from the website each year. The benefits of the books we donate are huge – reading to poorly children has been proven to help them get better quicker, strengthen family bonds and provide normality in a stressful time.
“Our supporters sponsor a book for different reasons each year – to have their children’s name written inside the book, in memory of a loved one, instead of buying Christmas cards or as a gift for someone. We are so proud to be donating the huge library to the ward in Whitehaven this year and can’t wait to see all the books being sponsored.”
Over 8,000 families helped each year
This library will be the charity’s 14th, meaning through the Christmas Book Appeals and the charity’s School Reading Challenge over 8,000 families each year are being helped with access to the books.
In the six years since Evie died, Team Evie with the help of many amazing supporters have raised over £450,000 which has been used to; fund medical equipment and provide training that has saved children’s lives, make time in hospital easier for sick children and reduce anxiety for families and to support bereaved parents in their time of need.
Every penny donated to the registered charity goes towards helping sick children and their families who face similar challenges to those Evie faced in her all too short life.
The charity holds a number of vital fundraising events every year, including the well-known Santa Dash which this year will be held at Workington Cricket Club, and next year’s Three Lakes Walk challenge which will see participants walking 29 miles around Ennerdale, Crummock Water and Buttermere, all while raising vital funds which Team Evie use to help sick children and their families.
Throughout Evie’s life, her dad would share Facebook updates of her progress and struggles with friends, family members and the local community. It rapidly became apparent that Evie had quite a following of well-wishers and based on the daily greeting one consultant would give the family, the name Team Evie was here to stay.
So many people sent love, support and hope Evie’s way during her life and she inspired so many people. Evie’s influence and inspiration spread far and wide, reaching people all over the world. When Evie passed away it became clear that as a community Team Evie needed to continue her positive impact on the world and the charity was created.
Team Evie is a registered charity set up in memory of Evie Johnston. Team Evie are spreading Evie’s story, love and inspiration far and wide by helping as many children and their families as possible.
For more information visit www.teamevie.org or search Team Evie on Facebook.
