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Gateshead Businessman called for more volunteers for Rainbow Trust, which supports his godson

A businessman from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear whose four-year-old godson has had cancer and whose daughter recovered from a rare illness is calling on communities and businesses to support Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity.

Marketing Chief Executive Michael Lavery, 38, spoke out to help Rainbow Trust, which supports families caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illness during Volunteers’ Week which celebrated volunteers’ contributions across the UK and ran from 1-7 June.

Michael saw first-hand how much Rainbow Trust Family Support Workers made a difference when he was on the hospital ward with his daughter Ellie, now 11, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition at just a few weeks old. Ellie recovered, but some eight years later in 2013 his godson Dominic Halliwell was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour when he was 10 weeks old and his godson’s family have been greatly supported by Rainbow Trust throughout his long treatment.
Michael volunteers across the North East. He has organised and hosted various fundraising events since 2013, including a gala concert for 500 people in which he also sang with his band GrooveTrain at the iconic Sage Gateshead venue in Tyneside, raising £6,000 for Rainbow Trust and North East Children’s Cancer Research.

He also hosted a show from the Eve Trew School of Dance, which is owned by Dominic’s Mum Natalie and his grandparents, at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal.

As a Fundraising Ambassador, Michael encourages others to volunteer and fundraises for Rainbow Trust by speaking about the charity in schools, rotary clubs, universities and at corporate charity events and nominated Rainbow Trust to benefit from community fundraising.

Michael, whose nine-year-old son Luke is best friends with Dominic’s older brother Zach, also nine, said: “When my daughter Ellie recovered it always struck me at that crossroads how our lives could have been very different. I saw the support Dominic and his family have from Rainbow Trust and it struck a chord with me so I wanted to raise funds with my own contacts and ideas, but also to mobilise community support for Rainbow Trust.”
Michael encouraged others to volunteer when he said, “being a Volunteer Ambassador is hugely important. There is significant goodwill out in our communities and businesses to raise funds for a lot of good causes and I hope to inspire, encourage and empower others to take up arms and raise funds for Rainbow Trust.”

“Rainbow Trust is unique in the support it gives to families living with a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. Rainbow Trust’s work is unheralded and rarely qualifies for support from the public purse but the Family Support Workers are the quiet angels giving families in my region and across the UK hope and support and keeping them together at a time of need.”

Andrea Kelley, Volunteer Manager at Rainbow Trust, said: “Volunteer Ambassadors enable us to reach out to more communities and raise awareness of our work and we are always looking for more volunteers. Michael’s support as a Volunteer Ambassador for Rainbow Trust is amazing. We are very grateful to him for his determination and belief that communities will follow if they feel empowered.”

Rainbow Trust offers emotional and practical support for the whole family; from their child’s diagnosis, during treatment and, if needed, through bereavement and beyond. It relies almost entirely on voluntary donations and thanks to its generous supporters helps over 2,200 families in England.

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity relies on the support of its volunteers to operate. Its volunteers fulfil vital tasks including office support, helping at events, fundraising, providing transport and supporting the care teams. In 2015/16, 420 volunteers donated 32,730 hours of support. Using the living wage, this equates to an incredible £256,933 of donated time. If anyone is interested in volunteering with Rainbow Trust, please call Andrea Kelley, Volunteer Manager on 01372 220043.

• Ends - PHOTO NOTES: Photo 1 (L-R): [Michael Lavery and his godson Dominic who was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour when he was 10 weeks old.] Attached picture shows The Halliwell family: Mum Natalie, husband Chris, Dominic and Zach.]
  NOTES TO EDITORS: • Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity provides expert social palliative care to families when their child has a life threatening or terminal illness. Offering emotional and practical support, assistance is available for families 24 hours a day. Individually tailored high quality care is offered from diagnosis through to treatment and, should a family become bereaved, the charity will continue to support them for as long as they are needed, helping family members cope with the present and preparing them for the future.

• Rainbow Trust relies almost entirely on voluntary donations and through the outstanding generosity of its supporters helps over 2,000 families a year throughout England. The charity’s vision is that one day all seriously ill children and their families will have access to a Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker.

For more press information or opportunities please contact:

Anna Jackson – Interim PR and Communications Manager Tel: 01372 220 028 Email: anna.jackson@rainbowtrust.org.uk

Clare Youings – Press & PR Executive Tel: 01372 220 018 Email: clare.youings@rainbowtrust.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Stuart Aitken .