Fundraising Keira reaches for the stars

Young fundraiser Keira Arnold is calling on the local community for their help to reach a fundraising milestone by Christmas Day.

Inspired to support others by the care her dad, Stephen, received at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice before he passed away aged just 28 and three years ago, Keira (pictured) set up Keira’s Wishes. 

The 12-year-old’s sole aim was to raise money to fund the final wishes of patients and their families being cared for at the local hospice. 

Beginning with a postcard appeal in 2016, which went viral, Keira’s Wishes has been the inspiration behind many fundraising activities, from pub fun days to head shaves, with Keira recently chopping off 12 inches of her long locks to add to the fund.

With Keira’s determination behind them, the local community have thus far raised an astonishing £23,584.50. 

It’s a total that some people would be happy to sit back and celebrate, but not Keira. 

This determined Oldham school girl has set her sights on reaching ‘£25k by Christmas Day’ and is hoping that her last fundraiser of the year will do just that.

Next Monday (December 23), ‘Team Keira’s Wishes’ will be taking part in the Fierce Dance Street Crew Dance-off at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, along with teams from Andy’s Man Club and local community champion Stephen Hill’s charitable trust, Team Hill, a newcomer to this year’s competition. 

The annual event sees novice dancers showing off their newly found skills, battling it out to see who will be the Champion Charity Crew.

“It’s a great fun event that both the dancers and the audience enjoy,” said Keira, whose team this year includes her grandma, Julie. 

“Last year’s competition was called ‘Man Can’t Dance’ and my team won, this year we’re hoping to win again when they get up and show off their moves in ‘Adults Can’t Dance’. 

“I’m hoping that the guests and our sponsors will be generous so we can reach £25k by Christmas Day.”

To help in her quest to hit her target, award-winning Keira has set up a Just Giving page so that as many people as possible get an opportunity to support the last wishes of patients at the Royton-based hospice. 

It encourages people to give a donation in lieu of buying Christmas cards, or even making a donation instead of giving a Secret Santa gift.

Keira’s Wishes has fulfilled the last wishes of many patients at the hospice, from weddings and blessings to last trips to special places and celebration days, all thanks to the time, efforts and talents of Keira and her supporters throughout the community. 

In recognition of this, earlier this year, Keira was invited to Parliaments’ House of Lords in London to receive the highest accolade a young fundraiser can be given – ‘The Diana Award’.

If you’d like to help Keira reach ‘£25k by Christmas Day’, visit her Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Keira-Wishes. 

To follow Keira’s quest for her community search for Keira Wishes on Facebook.