A DJ and a musician have only £5,000 left to go in their bid to help a four-year-old girl raise £30,000 for life-changing surgery after a night of music and fundraising in Kilburn.
DJ Esther Jones and musician Tom Murray gathered with music lovers for a night of club classics and soulful live performances at the Good Ship in Kilburn High Road yesterday evening, raising £982.50 to help Bailey Walters-Lawrence have surgery to help her walk.
Proceeds from the night, which was attended by Bailey’s mother Shermel Walter-Lawrence, bring the total raised since the Brent & Kilburn Times launched the Bailey’s Wish campaign to £24,695.97, meaning the team is just £5,304.03 off their fundraising target.
Ms Jones said: “What an amazing turnout. We had a lovely bunch of people all having fun on behalf of Bailey with pure love in the atmosphere, super talented artists and DJs who all smashed it.
“The whole venue was doing the electric slide dance for Bailey! I am so proud to have worked with an amazing loving team. Thanks to all!”
Bailey’s family have until April to find the funds for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital after they were told NHS funding for a clinical trial of the treatment could no longer be found.
Ms Walters-Lawrence, of Gorefield Place in Kilburn, said she felt “so blessed” at the turn out in aid of Bailey and added: “This is amazing news. I’m so overwhelmed it’s unreal-I’m so grateful for all the support.”
The night featured DJ sets from Brent & Kilburn Times digital news editor Lorraine King, DJ Esther Jones, DJ Charlie Muir and DJ Stedy, and live performances from acoustic musician and organiser Tom Murray and singers Jennifer Romeo, Geraldine Reid, Danna Solomon and Linah Is.
Sales from a raffle with £3,000 of donated prizes and Bailey’s Wish T-shirts and ten per cent of drinks taking from the Good Ship bar all went towards the team’s fundraising efforts for little Bailey.
England and Arsenal footballer Rachel Yankey from Queen’s Park also donated a signed pair of football boots to the raffle.
Mr Murray said it was a “wicked” night and added: “It was such a great night- I’m still buzzing from all the adrenaline. There are far too many people to thank individually, but without you last night couldn’t have happened. All the people who stood in the cold working the door, the amazing musicians, the DJ’s. Big love to all of you.”
The next fundraising event in aid of Bailey will be a bowling afternoon on March 24, as well as a keep fit day at the College of North West London, for which Mr Murray has pledged to dye his hair pink.
Ms Walters-Lawrence will also be holding a series of family fun days to raise the remaining £5,000 needed after a day of bouncy castles and face painting raised £700 towards the Bailey’s Wish fund on March 6.
A limited number of Bailey’s Wish T-shirts in pink and black are available for £10 from tommurraymusic@hotmail.co.uk.
To help Bailey’s wish come true you can donate via the just giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/baileyswish/
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