Press & Media
Ladies Lunch November 2022
Back at the tail end of November local charity The Dream Factory held an amazing ladies lunch afternoon. There was plenty of fun on offer for the 140 guests who attended, with a host of entertainers joining the charity’s Patrons.
Special guests at the event in Lokkum restaurant in Woodford included Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, Michael Watson MBE, Colin McMillan BEM, Christine Ohuruogu MBE and Harry Collett, an actor who has appeared in House of Dragons. Entertainment came from singer Kim Taylforth, saxophonist Paula Borrell, Samsara the Belly Dancer, and Drag Queen Scarlett Diamonte.
Publication
Absolutely West Essex
Date
December 2022
Harlow boy Quinn Gosnell’s party helps raise £13,000
Family of a Harlow three-year-old diagnosed with cancer raise £11,500
The family of a three-year-old from Harlow who was recently diagnosed with cancer have set about raising money for Essex charity, The Dream Factory.
Quinn Gosnell has been diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumor, a type of kidney cancer, in not one, but both of his kidneys. At the beginning of November his dad, Mike Gosnell, was overwhelmed with the support and comfort of friends and family and wanted something good to come out of all the support so decided to start fundraising for The Dream Factory.
AMAZING £40,000 RAISED AT MOSS ELECTRICAL CO GOLF DAY
Essex- based Charity The Dream Factory, grants dreams to children and young adults between the age of 3 to 25 years, who suffer from life-threatening, life-limiting conditions or have severe disabilities. Like most charities, The Dream Factory are finding it harder and harder to raise much needed funds to grant more dreams and are so grateful for the continued support of companies like Moss Electrical Co. Ltd based in Dartford who support them year after year.
Haslers Foundation Quiz Raises Funds For The Dream Factory
After a two year break due to the pandemic, the best business brains from across the South East have once again competed each other in the eight annual Haslers Foundation Charity Quiz.
Publication
Absolutely West Essex
Date
August 2022
Charity Quiz Held by Biggleswade Students
Biggleswade students hold charity quiz to honour brave friend who died from rare cancer
Kindhearted Biggleswade students raised over £1,500 to honour their animal-loving schoolfriend who died from a rare form of bone and blood cancer.
The Afterschool Enterprise Club at Stratton Upper School raised an impressive £1,692 thanks to a charity quiz in memory of Ruby Joyce, who died in 2019 from Ewing Sarcoma.
Biggleswade Students hold quiz in Honour of Ruby
Ruby Joyce’s friends wanted to raise money for the charity that helped her dreams come true before she died.
Friends of a Beds teenager who died from a rare form of cancer honoured her memory with a school quiz – raising more than £1,600 for the charity that helped her achieve her dream of owning a dog.
Ruby Joyce had Ewings Sarcoma, a form of bone and blood cancer and died in December 2019. The 13-year-old Stratton Upper School pupil was treated to a number of VIP experiences before her death by The Dream Factory – including being given a puppy she named Star.
5k Whizzing Wheels Challenge
On 22 May 2022, The Dream Factory held a 5K Whizzing Wheels Challenge at the Redbridge Cycling Centre in Ilford, Essex. This fabulous event was in collaboration with The Wheels and Wheelchairs Charity, who are a group of wheelchair users and skaters who regularly go out in London parks together, enjoying the sensory rush of speed. This is the second year this great event has taken place and it was a truly wonderful day, full of fun.
Egg-Cellent Work
The Dream Factory helped deliver 48 Easter Eggs to Epping’s Ukraine hub, for refugee families and children. These eggs were donated by Loughton Leisure Centre, who gave them to The Dream Factory to kindly re-gift.
Publication
West Essex Life
Date
June 2022
5k Whizzing Wheels Event
PATRONS of Essex-based Charity, The Dream Factory, Anne Wafula-Strike MBE, British Wheelchair Paralympian, former British Super Middleweight boxer Michael Watson MBE, former British Featherweight and Commonwealth Boxer Colin McMillan BEM, and former Olympic, World and Commonwealth Champion athlete specializing in the 400 metres Christine Ohuruogu MBE, will be attending The Dream Factory’s 5K Whizzing Wheels Challenge on Sunday 22 May 2022 at the Redbridge Cycling Centre, Forest Road, Ilford, IG6 3HP between 12.00pm – 4.00pm.
Hearts of Gold – Jacob’s Story
Hainault based charity The Dream Factory, has launched its Kids Helping Kids campaign, which encourages children to fundraise for others, so more unforgettable experiences can be granted for young people with life-limiting conditions and disabilities.
One of their youngest Ambassadors, Jacob Tompkins, was only given a one per cent chance of survival at birth, and then not expected to walk or talk, following a traumatic delivery. But the six year has defied all expectations and last month completed a challenge running a mile per day for 50 days.
Publication
West Essex Life
Date
February 2022
Running for Gold – Our Patron Christine
Gold Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu MBE is a superstar on and off the track. Here she talks to Holly Louise Eells about her role as a Patron at local children’s charity The Dream Factory and why sport is so important for children’s mental health.
Publication
West Essex Life Magazine
Date
February 2022
Avril at opening of new RGB shop
The Digwa family are valued supporters of The Dream Factory. Avril Mills BEM attended the opening of their new shop, RGB Direct in Woodford, Essex.
Jason Digwa spoke to West Essex Life Magazine about RGB Direct.
Publication
West Essex Life Magazine
Date
January 2022
Plea for Murad
The mum of a young man in need of his second kidney transplant has made an appeal for potential donors to come forward.
Murad Shaikh, 23, was born with kidney failure and a rare blood condition, and has received complex treatment since birth.
His mother, Gowhar Shaikh, said: “He was given 48 hours to live when he was born – he was on medication and had to go to hospital.
“He got to nine and then he was put on call for a [kidney] transplant.
“Two days later, we got a call that they had a kidney for him – it was a kidney of a 45-year-old cadaveric person.”
Six Year Old Joined by Olympic Athlete Christine
A six-year-old boy from Hatfield Peverel who was told he would never walk again has been joined on his running challenge by an Olympic hero.
Jacob Tomkins is currently running one mile a day over the course of 50 days to raise money for charity The Dream Factory. He was joined on one of the days by former Olympic, World and Commonwealth 400 metres champion Christine Ohuruogu. It represents a miraculous turn-a-round for Jacob, who was resuscitated for 22 minutes when he was first born. The ordeal left him with a brain injury and his parents were told that if he survived he would never be able to walk. But Jacob has amazed everyone with his progress.
