Volunteers help create magical weekend for Make-A-Wish families

National World - LocalTV

Over 200 critically ill children and their families are taking part in a Disney-themed event at Hoar Cross Hall, organised by Make-A-Wish UK. With volunteers, characters and bespoke activities, the aim is simple: to offer a few days of happiness and relief. Families and organisers share what goes into making the magic real — and why it matters.

Transcript

00:00Here in the West Midlands we know how hard life can hit but we also know how

00:05deeply people care. A Disney Wish UK has offered something that's in short supply

00:10for families dealing with critical illness. A bit of joy, a bit of rest and

00:14for a few days a break from the hospital corridors and care plans. It's

00:19not just about the smiles, it's about the systems, the people and the scale

00:23behind making something this tender run smoothly.

00:27This is a huge event and a unique event on a global level and there's lots of

00:34different organizations involved. We have hospitals and hospices that refer

00:39children here, we have funding partners, we have businesses that give us products

00:45and services for free towards it and of course we have Disney who puts a huge

00:51amount of their own resources into it. And all of that adds up to a unique,

00:58magical and inclusive wish. This is an experience that children with critical

01:03normalcy would never have access to without this event.

01:08For many of the families attending, this is the first time they've felt normal in months

01:13or even years. No appointments, no test results, no explaining anything to anyone.

01:19Just play, just peace. And that comes with its own kind of weight because behind every laugh

01:24is the knowledge that this might be one of the only times that child gets to feel like

01:29any other kid. The emotional value isn't just the cherry on top, it's the whole cake.

01:34This experience has been really magical for us as a family. That was diagnosed with his brain cancer

01:40in September of last year. So we've spent a lot of time in hospitals and away from home for

01:46treatment. A lot of time we've had to leave his little sister with other relatives. So it's really

01:51nice that we've all been able to come together as a family and spend magical moments together here.

01:57For every wish granted, there's an army of planners, volunteers and logistics to make it happen.

02:03When you see the scale of the event from bespoke activities to adapted rides, it's clear this isn't

02:09something pulled together overnight. There's a question here too about sustainability. With public

02:14and charitable funding increasingly stretched, how do events like this stay afloat? And what knock-on

02:20effect does that have on the people behind the scenes?

02:23This is one of the most impactful wishes that we grant. So families take away, they take

02:31their own memories, but they also take away a strength that gives them a chance to address

02:38the many challenges that they face within their difficult lives. I'd also say there's a bit

02:43of a ripple effect there, Danny, in terms of, you know, we've got 30 odd volunteers on site,

02:49you know, we take supporters around. Everybody who has access to this experience will take away

02:56take away memories that they will never forget as well.

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