Twins collection tin in Rougham Post Office helps to raise over £1,000 for the MyWiSH charity

Twins Gracie and Megan Garwood suffered from leukemia when they were just four years old.

Now they are 12 they are fit and well and five years ago got the all clear.

After initially being treated at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, the sisters were cared for on the Rainbow Ward, at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, and continued to visit the hospital for treatment for several years.

During their stay at the West Suffolk they created a design for a fundraising collection tin, featuring fish, for their local Post Office, in Rougham, which has helped to raise in excess of £1,000 for the My WiSH charity, which supports the hospital. And eight years on it is still standing strong.

The money has gone to the Rainbow Ward and has included cash from a weekly Bonus Ball Lottery where 59 people pay £1 a week with the winner getting £35 and the remaining £24 goes into a charity pot, with My WiSH getting a month of money every year.

The twin’s mother Emma, who has worked part time at the Post Office for the past four years, is supported by owner Colin Wardrop who said: “We support a different charity every month and the charity pot is on the counter for people to make donations and we try to raise money for a charity which means something to the village.

“The girls drew a picture of fishes when they were in hospital and it’s still on the collection tin. We could not understand why there was fishes until the girls told us there are fishes on the walls of the Rainbow Ward.

“We have raised between £100 and £140 a year for the charity and will continue to do so.”

Emma, 46, who lives with her husband Mark 43, the twins and youngest daughter Martha, 12, in Nether Street, said: “We wanted to do something to raise money for the ward as it’s such a lovely place and the staff are lovely. Between them and Addenbrooke’s they helped to save the children’s lives.”

The twins are pupils at Thurston Community College and Emma added: “They are doing fine and are growing up very fast.”

Pictured above are Megan, left, and Gracie Garwood, right, with sister Martha, centre, mother Emma and Colin Wardrop.