The Covid-19 crisis has brought people together from across communities to show support for each other, and local charities. Many people have set up local whatsapp groups or facebook pages to stay connected and offer help to the vulnerable and, in Heighington Village, Newton Aycliffe, raise money for Marie Curie.

Dame Dela Smith sent a message out on their whatsapp group following an email from her local Marie Curie Fundraising Group appealing for urgent support for the charity. A group of local children, who had been making rainbows to brighten up their neighbours windows, responded to the call to action and with Dame Dela’s support, started making bracelets – all with a rainbow ribbon.

Dame Dela said: “I sent a whatsapp message after seeing the urgent appeal for Marie Curie. We had a wonderful response and 9 families offered to help”.

The beads and materials were kindly donated so 100% of the profit is for the charity. The girls made hundreds of bracelets and they sold out quickly and, having initially set a target of £700, were delighted to exceed £1,100 for Marie Curie.

Every day and night, Marie Curie Nurses and frontline staff give vital support to dying people and their families, in their homes and our hospices across the UK. At this time of national emergency, when the NHS is being put under extreme strain, these crucial services are needed more than ever. Many of Marie Curie’s fundraising events and campaigns have been cancelled or postponed due to COVID 19, massively reducing the amount of money the charity have been able to raise, but our Hospice in Newcastle and essential caring services in the community are continuing to operate.

Kelly Knighting-Wykes, Fundraising Manager for Marie Curie in the North East & Cumbria said: “Due to Covid-19 we can’t do the things we’d usually do to raise money. We had to cut short our Great Daffodil Appeal and cancel many of our events and campaigns so we rely on support from people in our communities to enable us to continue to provide our care. We are so grateful to Dame Dela Smith and everyone involved for their hard work in raising money, and raising awareness of our emergency appeal. The bracelets are really pretty and the girls have all worked very hard. I managed to get my hands on one and I wear it every day and I’d like to say a huge thank you to all of the girls for their hard work”.