Skylarks celebrates Ollie Watkins' support, on and off the pitch
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July 11, 2024
Through his friendship with Woody, a Skylarks beneficiary, Ollie Watkins has supported the charity through his collaboration with McDonald’s for the Happy Readers campaign. This resulted in Watkins and Woody choosing to donate 5,000 books to the charity. This initiative directly aligns with Skylarks’ mission to empower children with additional needs and their families, benefiting 4,600 families annually.
Ollie and Woody’s friendship began when Woody patiently waited 90 minutes for Ollie’s autograph, which then blossomed into regular visits to Villa Park and even Easter egg deliveries from Watkins during the pandemic.
Woody’s family has also made a significant impact to Skylarks Charity, raising funds. Natalie, Woody’s mother, expressed gratitude for Skylarks’ advocacy in securing a school place for him in Year 7, praising the charity’s support during challenging transitions.
In a Facebook post Natalie wrote:
‘Grateful Mum post, shout out to Skylarks Charity Without boring everyone with the details, Woody had not been given a school place for September. Computer says no etc. With the help of the amazing Gemma at Skylarks whose expertise is all free, Woody now has a school place for Year 7 in September. They have always been there for us since Woody was born but have really come up trumps this time, fighting the system for him, taking the pressure off me and winning! I was in full meltdown mode before they stepped in and now, we can start a happy new chapter. Such a fantastic charity doing so many amazing things for families.’
Aaron Guiver, Managing Director of Skylarks, stated, "We are deeply grateful to Woody and his family, Ollie Watkins, McDonald’s, and all of our donors. As a charity, we rely on people's generosity and donations to make a real difference to the lives of the children and families we work with, ensuring they can access activities, support, guidance and enrich their life experiences and futures.
“Along with Woody, we will be cheering on Ollie and the England team with all our hearts in the final.”
We were delighted when ITV News picked up this good news story, featuring Woody on their news programmes on Thursday 11th July, in the lead up to the Euro 2024 final.
For more information visit the Skylarks Charity website.