daisies-update

We have some news about Sheila’s Charitable Daisies: remember young Emily Findlay from Orkney?  Here she is…

The photo on the right shows Emily at the launch of the first Daisies collection in May 2014. Thanks to many people kindly purchasing the Daisies we were able to support Emily and her family through some difficult times while Emily underwent treatment for a rare form of cancer. The full story is in our earlier blogs – see links below.

Now Emily says she is in the best health she’s ever been and she’s feeling really good. She visited us at the Workshop a couple of weeks ago and we took the above picture on the left – looking amazing Emily! In both these pictures Emily is wearing the original Daisies with sunshine yellow centers and waving, white crystal petals.

Although Emily says she still needs to take special care she is living life to the full.  She keeps fit through personal training and yoga – she wears gloves while training to protect her hands which suffered some nerve damage both from the cancer and the treatment. Last week she spent 11 hours on the waves sailing round the Isle of Wight with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. We always did say the Coloured Daisies were bright and cheerful – just like Emily!

Above all Emily devotes her time to helping others who have been affected by cancer. This week she is in Barretstown in Dublin, volunteering at an American style summer camp for children with cancer. She participated herself when she was younger and can’t wait to create the wonderful memories she has for other children.

At home in Orkney she has been busy fundraising for various charities who have helped her in the past. Her Fairytale Ball and Bake Off raised over £6500 for Maggie’s Centre in Aberdeen and CLAN.  Tak Me Oot is next – an Orkney version of ITV’s Take Me Out planned for 5th August. If you’re in Orkney look out for tickets!  This event will also support CLAN as well as the Archie Foundation, a charity supporting families with children at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Emily took some of the very first diamond daisies to CLAN’s Christmas Cracker ball at the end of 2014 where they raised £3200.

After Tak Me Oot Emily will embark on a new life in Aberdeen. She has a place to study event management at college. This is another big challenge as she never had the opportunity to complete any course at school. She’s determined to give it a go, although she confined she’d jump at the chance of a job in fundraising. You certainly have the experience, Emily!

As Emily strives to help others our thoughts have also turned to other young people in Orkney who are experiencing difficult times and are in need of support. The Daisies have raised an astounding total of £50,000 and around half of this has already been paid out to support Emily and her family. The remaining funds are reserved for any future treatment Emily may require.

Since 1 July 2016 contributions from Sheila’s Daises at Dawn (the original Daisies), Coloured Daisies and Diamond Daisies have been going to the Orkney Charitable Trust SC044924.

Chairman of the Orkney Charitable Trust is Craig Spence, pictured above with Martin, Emily and Sheila. We thank Craig for this kind comment:

“We’re delighted to have the Daisies contributions and we’ll use them to make a difference. It’s tremendous generosity from Sheila Fleet. Sheila and the business have a very warm and caring approach to those in the local community.”

All the Daisies will now support youngsters under 25 in Orkney who are experiencing ill-health or hardship. Find out more about the Trust at www.octrust.org.uk

Let the last word be with Emily:

“If I hadn’t had the Orkney Charitable Trust, Daisies funding, the Archie Foundation and that little house in Aberdeen I would have been confined to the hospital ward for months, a year and I would have gone absolutely bonkers. It was the most fantastic thing, it made life feel more normal. The Daisies helped me and I want them to help many others in future, so please pick a precious Daisy today and help a young person in need.”

Thank you everyone – and Good Luck Emily!