Date published: 04 December 2017 by Anna Jackson

Harold Wood charity shop in Essex have been fundraising for families for the last 24 years and are only £25,629 away from reaching £1 million.

Patron and joint founder of the group Pauline Obee MBE said

“We are committed to raising as much money as possible for families needing our help. We are now just £25,629 away from reaching the £1 million mark and we would love our community to help us get there.”

After hearing an interview with Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s founder Bernadette Cleary in 1993, Pauline and the late John Penrose established the Harold Wood Friends Group to support the charity. The group started fundraising when they were offered an empty shop for 3 months; they embraced this opportunity and ran jumble sales in the shop 2 days a week to raise money for Rainbow Trust.

24 years later the shop and friends group are still going strong, raising an incredible £974,371 to date.

Pauline said

“It hardly seems possible that Rainbow Trust has been part of my life for 24 years. I feel fortunate to have made so many generous and true friends since the opening of the shop and I am proud of what we continue to achieve.”

Please help this inspirational group of volunteers reach their goal to help Rainbow Trust support more families with a seriously ill child in Essex. Your generosity would mean so much to us. Click here to donate.