Latest news from Wiltshire Treehouse
A brother and sister who have experienced unimaginable loss are inspiring their local community after secretly raising money for the charity that has helped them come to terms with the loss of their Dad and their baby sister.
Elsie (9) and Arthur (8) Morgan-Williams, from Blunsdon surprised their mum Becky and her husband Tom (who adopted the children) by selling some of their own toys to raise £9.50 for Wiltshire Treehouse, based at Westlea Primary School in West Swindon.
“They were out playing with friends when Elsie came back and ran upstairs and said she’d ‘run out of things to sell’. My stomach clenched and we asked them both what they were doing,” mum Becky said.
“At first they were worried they were in trouble. Arthur had a handful of coins and they said they wanted to raise money to support the charity which had supported us. It broke me. I was overwhelmed at their motivation to do such a thing and Tom and I wish to support them to raise money for an organisation which has given us, as a family, so much support.”
Wiltshire Treehouse is the children’s bereavement charity that supported them following the death of their father and Becky’s fiance, Joe Morgan back in 2018. Joe was diagnosed with bowel cancer when Becky was pregnant with Arthur and he died when Arthur was six months old – two weeks before their wedding. Joe left Becky, his younger children and older son Harley who is now 19. Since that time, Becky has married Tom and they have a son Hudson, now one.
Elsie and Arthur knew their Dad Joe was in the ‘sky’ and was their ‘Daddy Star’ yet it was when Elsie started school that Becky realised she was struggling to accept that other children had their dads around.
“When Elsie started school I realised that she was getting upset and starting to understand that she was a little different and that other children’s dads could pick them up from school or attend school events. I reached out to Wiltshire Treehouse for support for them both and the charity was wonderful. They are so open, they supported the children to understand and honour their dad and showed them they were not alone,” Becky said.
Sadly in 2023, the family worked with the charity again when Becky and her now husband Tom lost their daughter Mabel at six days old after Mabel suffered a brain injury during birth. Harley, Arthur and Elsie then had to come to terms with the loss of their sister.
“After we lost Mabel, Wiltshire Treehouse contacted us when they realised what had happened and once again they have stepped in to help us all process and deal with this terrible loss,” Becky said.
Moved by the kindness, Becky has now has helped Arthur and Elsie launch an online fundraising page with the hope of encouraging local businesses and members of the community to support the children and Wiltshire Treehouse by making a donation, providing toys or resources for them to sell during the summer holidays, or matching the total they raise, currently set at £650.
“We’ve worked with Arthur and Elsie for a number of years, supporting them with the bereavement of their Daddy and, in more recent years, following the death of their sister Mabel. It has always been a pleasure to work alongside them, and to see them take it upon themselves to fundraise for us doesn’t surprise me at all. They have always been wholly thoughtful and caring children. They really have helped to shine a light on our charity, as well as raising vital funds that will go to help other bereaved children like them,” said Kath Brownlee, Service Director at Wiltshire Treehouse.
Becky has also shared her family’s journey through grief on social media to support others experiencing bereavement and she hopes Arthur and Elsie’s story will inspire acts of kindness throughout the community.
“As a family, we’ve received incredible support from Wiltshire Treehouse during the most difficult times of our lives. Arthur and Elsie wanted to give something back completely on their own, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Elsie and Arthur’s fundraising page is here and they are close to hitting their £650 target – https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/little-hearts-big-kindness
To find out more about Wiltshire Treehouse visit https://wiltshiretreehouse.org.uk/
Article from Scott Media
