Store to help fund Millie's Disney hope

MILLIE Moran with gran Vicky Shaw

SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has something special in store for a brave little Oldham battler who is desperate to jet off on her Disney dream.

For the next two weeks Tesco stores across the borough and Greater Manchester are embarking on a huge fundraising drive in an incredibly community spirited gesture to send Millie Moran - once described by doctors as "the poorliest child in the North West" - to Disney World Florida.

In-store colleagues across the region will be shaking collection buckets, hosting raffles and running colouring competitions until the end of November to generate enough to send Millie, her gran Vicky Shaw and her mum Emma Clarke on the trip of a lifetime.

Marvellous Millie - who has melted so many hearts since the appeal to grant the five-year-old Frozen fan her wish started earlier this year - has fought a lifetime of illness enduring more than 30 operations after being born with a rare form of spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

Vicky vowed to take her beloved granddaughter - who also suffers from epilepsy, chronic lung disease and is paralysed from the waist down - to Disney World after she miraculously fought back from the brink of death last year. As she lay in a coma in Royal Manchester Children's hospital her family played her favourite Frozen songs which they are convinced helped to bring her round and watching endless Disney films helped her back on the road to recovery.

Tireless fundraising by Vicky and the family has so far raised £7,000.

Tesco hope their generous pledge will help them achieve their £10,000 target and allow Millie - who has to be intensive care-free for 12 months before being allowed to fly - to go on the trip as soon as possible.

Marie Toora, store manager at Tesco Chadderton, said: "On hearing Millie's exceptionally difficult story, I knew we had to help make her dream come true. To support and give back to people in our local community is at the heart of our stores, and we're encouraging members of the public to donate."

On behalf of Millie and her family Vicky said: "I'm absolutely overwhelmed with the support from Tesco and I really couldn't thank every single person who's been involved enough."

"Millie's favourite Disney film is Frozen and I promised that I would take her to Disneyland for Christmas as soon as she was well enough.

Local stores involved in Millie's fundraising include the Chadderton Superstore, Oldham Extra, Failsworth Extra, Greenfield Superstore and Express stores across the borough along with stores in Greater Manchester.