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Meet Ollie. A most inspiring young man.
Ollie is 9 years old, the nephew of Sara Stevens (sstevens@thenuancegroup.com), HR & Training Manager for The Nuance Group (UK) down in Southampton.
Ollie is currently in Birmingham Children’s Hospital undergoing gruelling treatment for a rare bone cancer called Ewing Sarcoma.
He wants to raise money for the hospital; in particular he feels that the hospital needs a ‘chill-out’ room for children like him to relax, chat and just feel normal.
Ollie has recently set up a Just Giving page, where he has raised over £4,000 in a couple of weeks (including £800 from a yard sale he organised, pictured below). Clearly a top manager in waiting, he has tasked his Auntie Sara with running a raffle. I will let her take up the story…
“Because I never do things by halves, I thought I didn’t just want the usual old items in his raffle… let’s ask around to see if I can get some fantastic prizes to really make him smile.
“I have decided, therefore, that a raffle only was too ‘easy’ so have decided to host an indoor fete in February 2015 where we can run a host of ‘English’ games including, Splat the Rat, a good old fashioned tombola, cake stall, Ollie’s favourite Treasure Island and of course the raffle.
“We will hold it in a village hall so it keeps things very local and ensures all Ollie’s friends, relatives and supporters can come and enjoy the day. We are looking for some fabulous raffle prizes which would make a difference to this great cause.”
A great cause it is indeed. Ollie’s just giving page in aid of BCH can be found at www.justgiving.com/Kira-Swannell
[Ollie and twin Joe hard at work on the fund-raising]
Sarah says that Ollie lives in Redditch with his twin brother, Joseph, his other brothers, Barnum, Harry and Charlie and his two sisters Kira and Jessica, alongside their crazy dog Popcorn and his Mum and Dad. “The house is a chaotic place filled with love and fun (and noise!).” she says.
Ollie will be back there soon enough but let’s help him in his selfless campaign to help others. I’m personally donating a case of Cloudy Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (god’s nectar) while The Moodie Report will donate four double-page advertising spreads across forthcoming editions of our weekly e-Zine to the four first bidders* (reserve price EUROS 300 but see if you can go higher) – send offers to Martin@TheMoodieReport.com by e-mail headed ‘Ollie’s story’.
I hope many of Sarah’s and my peers will make similar great donations or simply donate via Ollie’s Just Giving site. Let’s together blow a hole right through the roof of both that vilage hall and Ollie’s £5,000 target!
Let’s build that chill-out room entirely and have plenty left over to give to the hospital.
Just to encourage you, I’ll let Ollie have the final word: “I am Ollie i am nine years old and i have had a cancer in my knee ever since July.
“September 14th i starterd treatment it hasnt been the same i am fine and no pain in the knee anymore but yep life is tricky thats why we should thank the nurses for helping and improve the ward if you donate anything you will help me get more comfortable in the ward wen i stay there its hard at the moment but it could get easier if you help its not just me its thousands of other boys and girls who go there please listen thank you.”
We’re listening Ollie, we’re listening…
*UPDATES…. REACTION FROM THE TRAVEL RETAIL COMMUNITY
* Moodie san, I will offer 1000 Euros for a double page spread ad in support of Ollie. – Peter Sant, Managing Director, Remy Cointreau Global Travel Retail
* I’m in for £200 Moodie san – Sunil Tuli, Managing Director Travel Retail & Duty Free, King Power Group (HK)
* Moodie San, count me in for £1,000 – Dan Cappell, VP Non Aeronautical Revenue & Business Development, Abu Dhabi Airports
* Hi Martin & Sara, I read the recent Moodie Blog and as so often was massively touched by the story line. I immediately contacted one of our brand partners and they immediately said yes, so I am pleased to say that the Swiss Eyewear Group will donate 4 pairs of their INVU ultra polarised sunglasses (2 adult and 2 childrens) as part of the fund raising program. They are worth €260 and hope they will be able to play a small part in helping. I do work with other brands and will also be looking to see what else I can arrange for young Ollie to help him achieve his grand plan.
Best wishes
Martyn Westbury, Head of Sales, Newthing Limited, UK
* Martin, I am happy to contribute £200 to Ollie’s fund-raising. – Jonathan Holland, Jonathan Holland & Associates
Good afternoon,
You do not know me but I read your blog and website every day. I used to work for Morrison Bowmore and William Grants Travel Retail team.
I am also good friends with a fellow scot Fraser Dunlop [a senior World Duty Free Group executive and cancer survivor – Ed]. When I joined The Whisky Shop as MD I lost my father the day I joined to a short but hard fight with cancer. Fraser sent me this message that week http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html which I know meant a lot to him and which got me through some of the hard days that we all have.
I have looked on with interest at your amazing fight against that terrible disease and love hearing about the glasses of wine at various airport lounges !!! I hope you enjoy every glass given what you have been though.
I read your post this morning above Ollie and as a Dad of a 7 year old and a 4 year it breaks your heart to read kids suffering. It is bad enough watching adults suffer. So your post struck me today.
I would like to donate a very special bottle of Glenfiddich that we are launching on the 1st Dec that will retail at £1500. See this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_ANvrWdgGg
If you ever happen to be in Glasgow or our shop in Piccadilly look me up and I will share a dram with you or a Glass of wine.
Your website is fantastic by the way and please keep going with it.
I will this weekend be lighting an extra candle at mass for Ollie and children like him.
Take care.
Kind regards
Andrew
Andrew Torrance | Glenkeir Whiskies Limited
Managing Director
NOTE FROM MARTIN MOODIE: Andrew originally asked that his donation remain anonymous. I told him that if he agreed to be named I would place a personal reserve of £1,500 on the bottle. I am happy to pay that but I also hope others may pay more. Contact me at Martin@TheMoodieReport.com if you would like to. Andrew has not stopped there though. Watch this space and let’s keep Ollie on a roll to beat all rolls…
Dear Martin
thank you for this, Ollie will be in awe of his name in print and I am overwhelmed by your support.
“Auntie Sara”