Les hopes readers will turn dreams to reality

WELL kent charity fundraiser Les Hoey is urging Clydesdale locals to raise funds to make children’s dreams come true.
Party time...for Les and kidsParty time...for Les and kids
Party time...for Les and kids

His pleas came as his DreamMaker Foundation opened its main office in Hamilton Street, Carluke.

Gifted by local company Macform Ltd, it will provide a base for the Foundation which helps children with life-threatening illnesses meet their idols.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Les, who was awarded the MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours List, said: “We now have a full time fundraising manager there in Angela Cook.

“It costs between £50,000 and £100,000 per year to make these kids dreams come true but it gives them such a huge boost.

“We would encourage anyone running a 10k, a marathon or other fundraising event to consider us.

“We have helped children in Carluke, Lanark and across Clydesdale and Lanarkshire. However, we also help children from all over Scotland.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Over the past few weeks we have helped children from Inverness to Gretna.”

The Foundation began when Les’s daughter Shelley was diagnosed with leukaemia and wanted to meet Boyzone.

Les managed to arrange it for her and since then he has gone on to help children meet the likes of Beyonce, Katy Perry and Kylie Minogue.

The Foundation also arranges trips to the theatre, theme parks, safari parks, sporting events, a Christmas party for 150 to 200 people and concerts where Les can arrange for a meet and greet with pop stars.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Indeed, this week Les, who combines his charity work with a full time job at Network Rail, has organised a meet and greet session with members of the Scotland football team and national team gaffer Gordon Strachan.

He added: “It makes such a difference to the children.

“Having to go through chemo every day is tough so having something to look forward to really helps.

“I’ve known kids who have gone through chemo in the morning and are at a concert that night and they can’t wait to meet their hero.

“It makes them forget about their illness and all of the celebrities are very good with them. Kylie has been very good to the Foundation and Katy Perry took some of the kids on stage with her.”

For more information, call DreamMaker Foundation fundraising manager Angela Cook on 0744 7 41 7275 or log onto www.leshoeymbedreammaker foundation.org.

Related topics: