Seven-year-old Dillon Chapman, from Frome, has been chosen to be on the front of a major charity calendar.
Dillon has been chosen to head the calendar which aims to raise thousands for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK.
Behind the calendar is Brammer, a leading manufacturing distributor which delivers products and services across Europe. The company has raised more than £100,000 for Make-A-Wish since April 2007, helping the charity grant more than 20 magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses. In July this year, Dillon became one of those lucky children granted a wish.
Like many boys his age, Dillon is obsessed with motorbikes. Unlike other boys his age, Dillon lives with Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disease which causes his nerve tissue to grow tumours.
Make-A-Wish granted Dillon his wish to meet Spanish motorcycle hero Dani Pedrosa on a VIP tour of the Moto Grand Prix racing circuit at Donington Park.
So when Dillon’s mum, whose employer is a customer of Brammer, saw that Brammer staff aimed to raise in excess of £100,000 for Make-A-Wish, she rushed to the phone to tell them Dillon’s story and thank them for all their support.
Dillon’s mum, Dawn Chapman says, “It is really touching to know that people care. The staff at Brammer took it on their own back to fundraise for children they don’t know. I hope that through looking at the calendar, Brammer employees will be able to appreciate what it is like being on the receiving end of a wish. It was just such a lovely weekend for our family.
“Even if Dillon had asked us, we could never have put it in place for him in a million years. It has changed his life for ever. It’s phenomenal. Make-A-Wish creates memories that these children can cling on to, taking them to a magical place when times are hard.”
The calendar features Brammer staff posing for different comedy tableaux each month. Brammer hopes to raise £1,250 from sales of the calendar to add to its magnificent total.
Next year around 1,000 children fighting life-threatening illnesses will turn to Make-A-Wish to experience the magic of a Make-A-Wish wish. To be able to grant all these, Make-A-Wish needs to raise over £5million each year.
For more details on how to fundraise please contact Make-A-Wish on 01276 40 50 60 or visit www.make-a-wish.org.uk
