Charity auction hopes to make Brimington woman's final dream come true

Amy Holmes died in June at the age of 33 after fighting a severe strain of rheumatoid arthritis for 14 years.

Now, parents from her daughter Evangeline’s school have organised fundraising to make sure the five-year-old gets to fulfil all her mum’s wishes.

Amy’s mum, Olwen Jarvis, said: “Amy knew her illness was terminal and wrote a ‘bucket list’ of things she wanted to do with Evangeline.

“But one of the things on the list she didn’t manage to do was Disneyland in Paris.

“So they are trying to raise enough money to take Evangeline there.”

They hope to raise about £4,000 from a series of events taking place over the next few months.

The main one is a charity auction that will take place this Friday, October 5 at the Red Lion on Church Street in Brimington.

As well as the auction, Marston’s has brewed a special beer for the occasion – Amy’s Dream – with a portion of the money from every pint going to the appeal.

Olwen said the support they have received from everybody has been incredible.

“It is amazing – I don’t know what she would have made of it,” she said.

As well as raising money, Olwen hopes the event can also raise awareness of a much misunderstood condition.

“You hear about all these charity runs for dementia but there is nothing for arthritis,” said Olwen.

“Amy had the condition for 14 years from the age of 19 - they initially thought she was just a hypochondriac.

“We need to make people more aware of how serious rheumatoid arthritis is.”

As well as this Friday’s auction, fundraiser Corrine Marklew is also planning to do a sky dive later in the year and a Christmas fair is also being organised to take place at Evangeline’s school, Calow C of E on North Road.