A CHARITY supporting the siblings of poorly youngsters has been awarded a cheque for more than £7,000.
Laura Rolph-Wills, of Grafton Road, Dovercourt, launched Sponsor a Sibling in 2016.
Her youngest son Harry suffers from a rare form of Batten disease, which is found in just one or two children in the UK each year.
His illness has resulted in a gradual loss of sight, mobility and speech - he now has to be fed through a tube.
But while there has been a lot of help for Harry, Laura realised her eldest son Joshua, was indirectly affected and wanted to help children like him.
So Sponsor a Sibling raises funds for the siblings of poorly children with gifts and the use of a family holiday caravan adaptable for disabled children.
To help the charity, Marks and Spencer, in Colchester, gave Laura a cheque of £7,700.
Laura said: "We have been overwhelmed by the dedication and commitment shown by the store, employees and customers alike.
"Activities which have been organised to support Sponsor a Sibling included half marathons, 13-mile walks, cake sales, raffles and bag packing."
The team at Marks and Spencers has also donated books and toys to the charity.
It has also nominated Sponsor a Sibling to be charity of the year.
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