Press & Media
More Dreams Come True for local Children
THE Dream Factory is an Essex-based charity established 11 years ago to brighten the lives and encourage hope for children and young adults aged 3-25 years, who have either life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, or who suffer from severe disabilities. They do this by granting their dreams and making their wishes come true and aim to do everything possible to grant a child’s dream, whether it’s to meet their favourite celebrity or sporting hero, to live the lifestyle of a millionaire for a day, or to own a laptop or the latest mobile phone. Perhaps they wish to take a magical trip to Lapland or Euro Disney or to be a princess for the day.
Any dream is possible and when The Dream Factory says it will take on the challenge of making a dream come true, they will then do everything in their power to make it happen in the shortest possible time. No wish is too small and with help from you, The Dream Factory can make their dreams come true! Over 471 dreams have now been granted since it started in 2008!
The Dream Factory makes more dreams come true
The Dream Factory is an Essex-based charity established 11 years ago to brighten the lives and encourage hope for children and young adults aged 3-25 years, who have either life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, or who suffer from severe disabilities. They do this by granting their dreams and making their wishes come true and aim to do everything possible to grant a child’s dream, whether it’s to meet their favourite celebrity or sporting hero, to live the lifestyle of a millionaire for a day, or to own a laptop or the latest mobile phone….
Harry Backs The Dream Factory
Not content with helping poorly youngsters dreams come true through his footballing connections and also raising funds by playing at various golf days, Harry Redknapp further showed his support for The Dream Factory recently at a gala evening at the Waltham Abbey Marriott.
Publication
West Essex Life
Date
June 2019
The Dream Factory to hold Bridal Event
CHARITY are organising a second wedding dress sale after raising more than £1000 previously.
The Dream Factory, an Essex charity that aim to support young people living with life threatening illnesses, are organising the event after raising £1500 at the first event.
Ambassadors Jane Meader and Holly Fenton sent a number of letters out to bridal shops asking for donations.
Great success of bridalwear charity event
The organiser of a bridalwear charity fundraiser is already planning for her second after the ‘great success’ of her first event.
Jane Meader, from Gidea Park, set up the event, which raised more than £1,500 for The Dream Factory, with the help of the charity’s young ambassador, Honey Fenton, for their ‘Say Yes To The Dress’ sale.
Jane and Honey, whose sister Hope was granted a dream a few years ago, wrote to a number of shops asking for donations and also launched a social media campaign asking brides to donate wedding items which they could sell at the bridalwear event.
Jane said the response was from businesses and people online was ‘amazing’.
St Edwards School Support Local Charities
Students will help children and young adults with life threatening conditions and severe disabilities make their dreams come true.
Youngsters at St Edward’s School and Sixth Form College, London Road, Romford, will be holding events to raise money for The Dream Factory, a charity based in Hainault.
This comes after each of the five colleges that make up the school chose a local charity “to support and engage,” in the words of deputy headteacher David Torn.
Young people in Mars College will help people from three to 25-years-old achieve their dreams by raising money for The Dream Factory.
Avril at Muller Anniversary Games
A MOTHER who was inspired to start a charity after the death of her son was a guest at top sporting games.
Hainault-based The Dream Factory founder, Avril Mills, was invited to the Muller Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium by charity patron, wheelchair racer Anne Wafula Strike.
She was joined by fellow patron, Vicki Michelle, and met a range of athletes and celebrities including runners Kriss Akabusi and Colin Jackson television presenter Eamonn Holmes.
Ms Mills said: “We had a lovely day in the VIP area where I was introduced to many amazing athletes and celebrities; many of whom signed an official London 2012 brochure which I intend to auction at our Hollywood Ball.
Christmas Draw in Epping High Street
A charity got an early Christmas present this week, receiving over £1,700 for children and young adults with life limiting conditions.
Essex-based charity The Dream Factory held their first Christmas draw with new mascot Olivia, at the iCandy store in Epping High Street on Wednesday (16 December).
Winning prizes at the festive event included a Samsung smart television, a giant Christmas hamper and a magnum of Moet champagne.
Intu Lakeside Shopping Centre Donate £25,000
DREAMS could soon come true for more children after an Epping based charity was given £25,000 to help it continue granting wishes.
To celebrate 25 years of operating intu Lakeside awarded Avril Mills’ charity the huge cash sum, last week.
The Dream Factory, was founded by Avril Mills after she lost her son Oliver to leukaemia and has been ensuring children from across Essex get days to remember throughout their treatment.
As part of intu Lakeside’s 25th birthday celebrations the shopping centre pledged to raise £25,000 for the charity and help dreams come true.
Christmas Party at Waltham Abbey Marriott Hotel
Santa Claus himself was among the famous faces this weekend, as a charity provided the dream start to the festive season for a group of children.
On Sunday (November 22), the Marriott Hotel in Waltham Abbey hosted the Dream Factory’s annual Christmas party. The Essex-based charity hopes to brighten the lives of children and young adults with life limiting conditions.
Elsa and Anna from Frozen, Star Wars’ Stormtroopers and Marco the Clown all made appearances as the 80 children and their siblings enjoyed activities such as face painting, gingerbread decorating and party games.
Restaurant Staff Raise £1,300
Staff at a restaurant have raised £1,300 to grant the wishes of terminally ill children.
La Sala in Chigwell Road, Woodford Green, hosted a lunch to raise money for children’s charity, The Dream Factory, which was set up in 2008 by Epping resident Avril Mills.
The lunch, which was attended by two of the charity’s patrons, Work and Pensions Secretary and local MP Iain Duncan Smith and Vicki Michelle, also consisted of a raffle and auction of a bottle of House of Commons whisky signed by Prime Minister David Cameron and Mr Duncan Smith which raised £700. Ms Mills said: “It was a fabulous lunch.
Cockney Night Raises £6,400
A “right old cockney knees-up” has raised £6,400 for a children’s charity.
The fundraiser for the Epping-based Dream Factory was held this Sunday at the Marriott Hotel in Waltham Abbey.
The event, which was arranged by the Pearly Kings and Queens Society, featured traditional cockney fare such as pie and mash for the 160 attendees.
Among the donations was £250 raised for a bottle of whiskey signed by prime minister David Cameron and MP Iain Duncan Smith, a patron of the Dream Factory.
The Dream Factory’s Cockney Night
A ‘right old cockney knees-up’ is to raise money to make ‘dreams come true’ for children with life-limiting conditions.
The fundraising event for The Dream Factory will be held at the Marriott Hotel, in Old Shire Lane, Waltham Abbey, and will serve pie and mash.
The Pearly Kings and Queens will provide the entertainment followed by The Fabulous Blues Brothers band and a raffle.
Wanstead Golf Club Raise 7k
A golf club raised £7,100 for a charity which “makes dreams come true” for children with life-limiting conditions last year.
Epping charity, the Dream Factory, say they will use the money raised by Wanstead Golf Club to send “two or three” families to Disneyland Paris.
The fundraising year began with the captain’s drive-in which was attended by professional golfer Simon Khan whose signed golf bag attracted a £1,000 bid at auction.
Other events included golf days and social events as well as donations from members.
Charity raises 70k at Fundraising ball
A charity fundraising ball has raised more than £70,000 to make the dreams of terminally ill children come true. The Dream Factory, which was launched by Avril Mills from Epping six years ago, hosted the Monte Carlo-themed event at Orsett Hall in Orsett, on Saturday.
Performances by X-Factor singer Lydia Lucy and acrobatic and dance act Donovan and Rebecca were enjoyed by over 280 guests.
An auction hosted by EastEnders actor and comedian Terry Alderton included a host of donated ‘lots’ including signed football shirts from Pele and David Beckham and signed memorabilia from Olly Murs and Kylie Minogue.