Words by Smiley Team
A group of men have created a tradition where they dress up as grannies and go scooting around. All for a good cause, of course!
It's an annual fundraiser for Darren Bailey’s 11-year-old daughter, Freya, who needs physiotherapy unavailable on the NHS. This therapy costs around £1,000 per month.
Darren raises the money through Tree of Hope, a charity that supports the families of children with disabilities or illnesses to raise the money they need for life-changing treatments or equipment.
The families and children that Tree of Hope help are ones that can't get what they need from the NHS, and so need to seek private care. For some, the need for private assistance is constant, leaving them unable to pay without help, which is where Tree of Hope steps in to help.
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"Originally I was thinking of some kind of event with us dressed as superheroes but my friend Olive, who is 80, said: ‘Everyone does that, why not dress as grannies?’” said Darren, speaking about the fundraiser.
“So I took myself to the charity shop, bought some outfits and Scooter Grannies was born."
2022 is the 5th year of Scooter Grannies, and this year they'll be travelling on scooters from Preston FC to Blackpool Town Centre.
His daughter, Freya, was born with two holes in her heart and has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, which means Darren is looking at getting her an electric wheelchair. These can cost anywhere from £12,000 to £20,000, and so fundraising is essential.
”There's no cure for cerebral palsy, no magic wand, just a family’s resilience against the odds to raise the funds trying to give Freya the best they can," said Darren. “This has been made easier and more pleasurable with the friends and family I have around me.’
Gill Gibb, CEO of Tree of Hope, said: "We’re delighted to be helping with Freya’s fundraising and Scooter Grannies is certainly an innovative event! We wish Darren all the best with it."
DONATE: You can support Darren and Freya and the Scooter Grannies by donating to Freya’s Little Legs.
SUPPORT: You can give money to Tree of Hope to help support the families who need it.
