Another 20 Forbes families will be able to access Little Wings’ critical support if they need it thanks to the community’s generosity at a fundraising night for the charity on Saturday.
“It was absolutely amazing,” the organisation’s CEO Clare Pearson said of the booked-out function.
Little Wings is a not-for-profit providing sick children and their families with free ongoing flight and ground transport during the treatment process.
Five local families who Little Wings has helped get to the city for medical treatment were represented, with the Doyle family sharing their story.
Little Wings CEO Clare Pearson said the need for their services has increased, particularly around Forbes and Parkes as people become aware of their service.
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Funds raised Saturday night position them to help the next families who receive a diagnosis and reach out for assistance.
“To have that money sitting there ready to support those families gives us so much relief,” Ms Pearson said.
“When we say yes to a family we don’t just say yes to this flight and we hope we can do it next time, we’re saying yes, whatever you need, whenever you need it, and we’re raising money in the background to keep that sustainable for that family.”
The Doyles are one of those families: Nikki and Mitch sharing how Little Wings has helped them since their son Leo was diagnosed with cone rod dystrophy, which is causing his sight to deteriorate.
It’s a long way from Forbes to the specialists, but flying with Little Wings means the family
“Without Little Wings Mitch would have to stay here while I drive and take Leo, because a lot of the time they’ve got football, they’ve got other commitments, they need to be at school,” Nikki said.
“With Little Wings, we can all just get on a plane do what we need and come back.
“We can keep our family together.”
This is something that’s especially critical during specialist appointments.
Club Forbes was the major sponsor of Saturday night’s special function and they made the event incredibly special from the decorations to the food, the service and entertainment.
Luke Whitty donated his time to auction the many, generously donated items.
“We had so many people – more than 20 people - put their hand up and say we can donate,” Ms Pearson said.
“In the auction alone they raised more than $25,000.”
The crowd then danced the night away, joined by Little Wings mascot Mini on the dance floor.
The community’s incredible heart and generosity has made a big impact on the Little Wings team.
Over the past five years, Little Wings has experienced a 400 per cent increase in service demand, expanding from 429 missions before Covid-19 to more than 2,371 missions in FY24.
Their core work is to connect children to medical treatment but they also find themselves extending to what Ms Pearson describes as “wrap around care” for their families.
Little Wings’ message is, “You really matter to us and we want to make sure if there’s something we can do, we will do it to make sure you’re supported.”
“This year alone, since January, we have provided more than $20,000 in vouchers for food and clothing for the families we support,” Ms Pearson said.
“If we can issue those vouchers and give a little bit of relief that is so key.”
GOODSTART'S GIFT FROM THE HEART
The children at Goodstart Early Learning Forbes have put their creativity to the best of uses: creating art that's raised funds they've now donated to Little Wings.
The not-for-profit centre turned children's art into calendars, gift cards, diaries and more, raising $420 which they wanted to donate to a worthy cause.
Preschoolers considered carefully before choosing Little Wings, a charity providing free air transport for children and their families across New South Wales to access medical treatment.
Their own friend Jack was able to tell them how he had flown in the Little Wings plane to Sydney.
A very special guest, Mini Wings, visited the centre to meet the children and they gave her their hand-crafted novelty cheque made with lots of love and glitter.
