A local Sunderland teenager has received a kind donation from a group of local customer service workers to help her through cancer treatment.
Fourteen-year-old Faye Thompson, who is currently going through a six year battle with leukaemia, will receive the donation of over £2,400 from EDF Energy, Doxford International Business park and members of the local community, following a range of fundraising activities organised by those at the Sunderland offices.
EDF Energy Staff held a fundraising day which encouraged colleagues to ‘dress down’ for a small donation and a held bake sale. The husband of an employee at Doxford is also set to take a sky dive to raise further funds for Faye.
The fundraising was originally intended to raise money to purchase specialist music equipment for Faye, who credits music for helping her through her treatment, however the campaign has been so successful EDF Energy employees now hope to also send Faye to Harry Potter World in London.
Pam Thompson, Faye’s mother, Julie McCririe, Donna Thirlaway and Joanne Bradshaw have all worked at the centre for almost 20 years, jointly Donna, her daughter Claire Woods, Julie and Joanne have arranged the fundraising activities.
Donna Thirlaway, team manager at EDF Energy, said: “We wanted to bring a little bit of joy back to Faye’s life through the musical equipment. Music has really helped her through her treatment and she has shown a real talent for it.
“We are thrilled that we have already exceeded our expectations for the fundraising, and now we might also be able to send Faye on a lovely trip to Harry Potter World thanks to the generosity of everyone at EDF Energy Doxford and the local community. She doesn’t get the opportunity to do things that other teenagers do because of her treatment and all of the circumstances that come with it, so I know she would be over the moon to get the chance to go to London and be able to enjoy herself.
“We are like a family here at Doxford, everyone is close and Pam has become a very good friend of mine during our 20 years here. My daughter also works here and her husband is set to do a skydive to raise money too.”