Help me make a man and keep my promise.
Donation protected
I have started this GoFundMe in response to the truly overwhelming response to a Facebook post I put up in a group on Friday 20th December. The post involved me telling a little about my life since losing my wife Michelle.
She was 37yrs old. She died after the flu virus caused a massive cardiac arrest. She died in front of me in Whiston hospital and the A & E team struggled for six minutes to bring her back. They did manage to do so and she survived a further 7 days before a brain scan shown irreparable brain damage and I was told there was nothing could be done for her. We withdrew care on Easter Sunday 2016.
Michelle (like myself) was a primary school teacher. As such, following her death I have recieved a small pension from her. Every month since she passed awaya I try to use some of the money I receive from her pension to help a cause that catches my eye in her memory. These are usually things like friends running marathons, park benches in memory of people who have died or other things that touch me.
This month my son Billy and me decided we should do something about the number of people in our local area who simply do not have enough food in their homes to feed their families. So we used some of the money from Michelle's pension and the money we would have spent on Christmas dinner (as we have been invited to a friends house) to buy all sorts of 'stuff' to give to our local food bank. We bought tinned veg, nappies, sanitary towels, baby wipes and UHT milk. It felt great doing this. Money well spent.
Someone asked me to post 'our efforts' in the group and the response was unbelievable. It seems to have touched the hearts of many people. 4500+ (and climbing) reactions, hundreds of shares. I was amazed. I have had several people send me money via my paypal account and many more ask how they can help. So I thought as I had perhaps unwittingly created a platform to help people out I would ask for that help via a GoFundMe page. I think that's how people do these things now?
One of the emails I had was from someone who sent me £2 with an apology. 'I am sorry it isn't more.' I wrote back to say £2 will never ever 'not be enough'. If £2 is what you can afford to give then £2 is enough. £2 is amazing. £2 could help turn someone's life around. So yep...I am asking for £2. More if you can afford it...less if I am asking too much. My point is...it does not matter how much. What matters is you did.
So there it is. I am not sure how successful this will be but if everyone who reacted to my initial post gave £2 that would double the amount I am trying to raise. To be fair...how much I put in the box isnt a goal. My goal is to raise as much as I can to buy food and other essential items for people who need it. If it's another £2 then that's 4 packets of sanitary towels...if it is another £200 then that is trolleys full of food. £2000 and I think we may be genuinely changing lives. Something everyone could take pride in.
I would ask this one thing though...I would ask that if you do decide to donate to this fund raising that you do not hide your name. I want to know who you are. I want my son to see you. This is as much about helping me in #makingaman out of my boy as it is helping people you don't know eat. That's an awful thing to write...helping people eat, but its were we are right now. Let's help people eat.
Thank you.
She was 37yrs old. She died after the flu virus caused a massive cardiac arrest. She died in front of me in Whiston hospital and the A & E team struggled for six minutes to bring her back. They did manage to do so and she survived a further 7 days before a brain scan shown irreparable brain damage and I was told there was nothing could be done for her. We withdrew care on Easter Sunday 2016.
Michelle (like myself) was a primary school teacher. As such, following her death I have recieved a small pension from her. Every month since she passed awaya I try to use some of the money I receive from her pension to help a cause that catches my eye in her memory. These are usually things like friends running marathons, park benches in memory of people who have died or other things that touch me.
This month my son Billy and me decided we should do something about the number of people in our local area who simply do not have enough food in their homes to feed their families. So we used some of the money from Michelle's pension and the money we would have spent on Christmas dinner (as we have been invited to a friends house) to buy all sorts of 'stuff' to give to our local food bank. We bought tinned veg, nappies, sanitary towels, baby wipes and UHT milk. It felt great doing this. Money well spent.
Someone asked me to post 'our efforts' in the group and the response was unbelievable. It seems to have touched the hearts of many people. 4500+ (and climbing) reactions, hundreds of shares. I was amazed. I have had several people send me money via my paypal account and many more ask how they can help. So I thought as I had perhaps unwittingly created a platform to help people out I would ask for that help via a GoFundMe page. I think that's how people do these things now?
One of the emails I had was from someone who sent me £2 with an apology. 'I am sorry it isn't more.' I wrote back to say £2 will never ever 'not be enough'. If £2 is what you can afford to give then £2 is enough. £2 is amazing. £2 could help turn someone's life around. So yep...I am asking for £2. More if you can afford it...less if I am asking too much. My point is...it does not matter how much. What matters is you did.
So there it is. I am not sure how successful this will be but if everyone who reacted to my initial post gave £2 that would double the amount I am trying to raise. To be fair...how much I put in the box isnt a goal. My goal is to raise as much as I can to buy food and other essential items for people who need it. If it's another £2 then that's 4 packets of sanitary towels...if it is another £200 then that is trolleys full of food. £2000 and I think we may be genuinely changing lives. Something everyone could take pride in.
I would ask this one thing though...I would ask that if you do decide to donate to this fund raising that you do not hide your name. I want to know who you are. I want my son to see you. This is as much about helping me in #makingaman out of my boy as it is helping people you don't know eat. That's an awful thing to write...helping people eat, but its were we are right now. Let's help people eat.
Thank you.
Organizer
Ian Wileman
Organizer
England