Wigan mum launches charity in daughter's memory to help more children

Ali Colley formed Hope’s Therapy Dogs after her nine-year-old daughter Hope died from a brain tumour on February 6, 2018.

She works with therapy dogs to provide emotional and mental health support for pupils at primary and high schools.

Now, she has launched a charity named Hope’s Heart in a bid to provide that support, along with other types of help, for more children.

Ali, who lives in Up Holland, said: “It was my idea to set up the charity, because when working on Hope’s Therapy Dogs, schools pay us – it’s a business and that’s necessary because I need to earn a living. But there is a need in children’s mental health and neurodiversity that is so vast now in the UK that schools don’t have a hope of funding it themselves and providing solutions.

"While they will continue to pay me for Hope’s Therapy Dogs, we want to bridge the gap between what schools can afford to pay and what is needed.”

The charity will be able to provide support for pupils with therapy dogs, beyond that which schools can afford to pay for, but will also offer extra services such as art and music therapies.

There is even a dream to one day have a therapeutic farm with different elements to provide more support for children.

Hope’s Heart was registered as a charity just before Christmas and was launched last month to mark the sixth anniversary of Hope’s death.

Fund-raising is now under way, with donations being collected through an online appeal and calls for schools to get involved.

Ali said: “What we are trying to do is gain momentum and get people understanding that if we can get the money together, we can then start providing additional services that will benefit children’s emotional and mental health.”

She hopes to hold an event to officially launch the charity but is struggling to secure a venue for free, so wants anyone who can help to get in touch.

To find out more, go to www.hopesheart.org.uk or donate at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ali-colley.