Light Up a Life
Dedicate a bauble or light on our Virtual Christmas Tree in tribute to a loved one or someone special.
The holiday season is a time for connection and reflection, filled with memories of those we love.
Light Up A Life is a heartfelt way to honour someone special, keeping their presence close and their memory bright.
Help Us Make Ethan’s Christmas Toy Dream Come True
Ethan is 8 years old this is his story
At 6 years old, Ethan began exhibiting flulike symptoms. He developed swollen lymph nodes under both ears, red spots on his chest, nosebleeds, and pain in both legs making it difficult for him to walk. Ethan was taken to the GP on three separate occasions, but each time, the GP reassured the family that Ethan was simply battling a severe flu.
Dream Making in Progress
Our Dream Makers visited gorgeous thirteen year old Jennifer to discuss her dream.
Jennifer was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and is a full time wheelchair user.
Jennifer loves football and gaming. Jennifer’s dream is to have a Xbox and a adaptive controller to play FC24 with her brother. The Dream Factory will also include Xbox vouchers so Jennifer is able to enhance her Xbox experience.
Whizzing Wheels Santa Skate
We had such a fun day collaborating with Wheels & Wheelchairs at The Ilford Exchange Shopping Centre, bringing together some of our families. Read more to see some pictures.
Isobel’s Dream
Twenty-one year old Isobel was diagnosed with Metastic Uterine Sarcoma.
Isobel’s dream was to own a Louis Vuitton handbag. With the help of the wonderful staff at Louis Vuitton store at the London Royal Exchange we were able to give Isobel a personal shopping experience to find her ideal bag.
Rafin’s Dream
Six year old Rafin was diagnosed with B Cell non Hodgkins Lymphoma. Rafin has long hospital stays and has just come home after a twelve week stay.
Apple iPad Dream
The Dream Factory received a Dream Request for a 22-year-old girl diagnosed with Amolblastoma – a huge tumour that protrudes from her mouth. Sadly there is currently no further treatment available and she is currently receiving experimental treatment. She hardly leaves the house and struggles to speak.
Ash’s Dream
Seventeen year old Ash was diagnosed with yolk sac tumour cancer. Please read Ash’s story:
‘In December of 2023 I was diagnosed with cancer. For those who don’t know how that process normally goes, here is how it went for me…
Andrian’s Dream
Twenty-Four year old Andrian was diagnosed with Stage 2 Classical Hodgkins Lymphoma and went through 6 months of intense chemotherapy.
Andrian wanted a dream that was truly memorable and a once in a lifetime experience. Andrian’s dream was to have a classic Egyptian experience. Andrian visited the Pyramids of Giza, Luxor and Alexandria with a full itinerary learning all about Egyptian History.
Costermongers Festival Event
Our founder Avril Mills BEM along with our volunteers Maureen, Raymond and Maurice went to to the Costermongers Festival, at The Guild Hall and The Church of Bow Bells on Sunday 29th September to support our Patron Doreen The Pearly Queen of Bow Bells and Old Kent Road.
Avril said ‘It was wonderful to meet up with the Mayors and all the lovely Pearly Kings, Queens and Princesses.
Thank you as always to our Patron Doreen Golding BEM, for inviting me sixteen years in a row “
Recycle your Christmas tree
and make your New Year stress-free!
Let us take care of your real Christmas tree. No mess, no stress — just convenience for you and smiles for those we help!
All donations go to The Dream Factory. Minimum donation £12.
Please support the dream factory
Avril Mills BEM, Founder and Trustee
Interview on BBC Radio
A message
I founded my charity in memory of my son, Oliver. When Oliver was three, he got leukemia; unfortunately, when he was nine he passed away. So founding my charity was something I wanted to do, and so The Dream Factory was born.
The children we help are from the ages of three to twenty-five, with life-threatening, life-limiting conditions or severe disabilities. We also do many end-of-life dreams.
We’ve granted many hundreds of dreams already, but we need more help. We need donations, we need sponsorship, and we always need good volunteers. We don’t get any government funding, so we rely on you. If you think you can help us, please contact us. Or please make a donation. With help from you, we make dreams come true.
A message from our patron, Michael Watson MBE
Our Ambassadors singing Sweet Caroline at our Ambassadors Lunch in January 2023
