Peterborough family "united" by charity Disneyland trip

Emily Mills, five, was one of 16 children and their families who were invited on the latest trip organised by Magic Moments.

The in-house charity of estate agent haart hosts trips to Disneyland for children with life limiting illnesses, and their families.

So far, they've raised more than £1million in donations since it was launched in 1998.

The latest adventure in early December was the third trip which has been organised in 2022 with nearly 200 people being whisked away to France.

Emily has Dravet Syndrome – a rare form of epilepsy – and was chosen for the trip alongside mum Catherine, father Gareth and her big sister Rosie who live in Peterborough.

Catherine admitted she was nervous about the trip even after accepting the offer, but has now thanked the Magic Moments trustees for making it a holiday to remember.

She said: “Our family, solely down to Magic Moments, has made lifelong memories and bonded together beyond our wildest dreams.” 

“We laughed, played, and actually became kids again and allowed ourselves to enjoy everything.

“Rosie saw her mum and dad be spontaneous for the first time since Emily was born.

“Emily got to ride the carousel as many times as she wanted because she loves horses.

“Rosie got to be a kid in a magical kingdom, without a care in the world which is something I will treasure forever. This is a gift that goes way beyond a holiday to Disney.

“It is a gift that brought us back together as a family, united us, and allowed us to be us again for which we are eternally grateful.”

Emma Barber, chair of Magic Moments said: “The experience Emily and her family had is exactly what Magic Moments strives to achieve on these trips.

“Feedback like this makes all the time and effort everyone puts in well worth it.

“Thank you to everyone at haart who has raised money and supported Magic Moments especially in such difficult economic times, your efforts and donations ensure we can continue to provide these trips.”