Youngster’s running challenge helps to raise money for the Rainbow Ward

Eleven-year-old Lily Reynolds has put on her running shoes to raise money for charity.

The youngster completed a daily, week-long challenge completing two kilometres a day as her target.

And at the end of her running campaign she totalled £551.25 for the My WiSH Charity.

Lily decided to take on the challenge and raise money for the charity, which supports the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and includes the West Suffolk Hospital as well as Newmarket Hospital and community services, after she was treated at the Rainbow Ward of the hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

Her runs were made during the last week of August and took in the many highways, byways and footpaths near her home.

And her final run was at the Bury Junior Park run which takes place at Ten Acre Field, which nestles next to Mount Road.

Her mother Lisa said her daughter, a pupil at the Sybil Andrews Academy, decided she wanted to raise money for the charity after she was the victim of a freak accident.

The youngster hurt her leg when she fell onto the branch of a tree which pierced her thigh.

Lisa said: “She was a very brave girl and the Rainbow Ward took a lot of care with her as it was quite a nasty injury so she thought that she would really like to help raise money to help people who go through what she did.

“She did really well and went out with me and her dad and her uncle as well and we thought doing the final park run was a nice one to finish on.”

Play specialist at the hospital Laura Nudds was instrumental in helping Lily cope with her injury and treatment.

Lily said: “She (Laura) helped me out through my time in the hospital and distracted me from my surroundings that I was nervous about.

“She also talked me through what happens when you go to the theatre where I would have my leg operated on, which helped me a lot.

“She also gave me a fidget toy that took my mind off scary things around me and I still use it when I’m nervous.

“I just want to give Laura a ‘Rooarsome’ thank you and also to my family and friends and all the other people who helped me along the way.

“I just hope everyone else who has to go to hospital gets to have someone like Laura help them. I want this money to count.”

And she added: “It (the challenge) was tough but it was enjoyable and I’m glad that it went to a charity that helped me when I was in hospital.”

Fundraising manager, Sally Daniels, said “It was lovely to meet Lily. She brought a dinosaur as a gift for Laura which was just lovely.”

Sally continued to say that the money had already been spent, as Lily had requested, on fidget toys and things to help distract other children who come to the Rainbow Ward. She added “I know Laura and the staff on the ward are thrilled with all the items they’ve been able to buy thanks to Lily’s hard work. We are all so very grateful”.

Main photo: Laura Nudds, play specialist, Lily Reynolds and Abbie Manser. Photo: My WiSH Charity.

Written by Russell Cook for My WiSH Charity.