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Gift of a Wedding

598. Patricia Harrison

A Cheshire-based volunteer has founded the inspirational charity Gift of a Wedding, providing free weddings for people with terminal illnesses.

Patricia Harrison, from Cheshire, creates free weddings for people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses, persuading local businesses to part with thousands of pounds worth of goods and services for each wedding. Each wedding is planned by Patricia and her core team of volunteers, who all give their time and expertise for free in order to create some unforgettable memories for those in need.

In a personal letter to Patricia, Prime Minister Theresa May said:

“Your inspirational initiative, ‘Gift of a Wedding’, is giving people with terminal illnesses and their families incredibly special memories to treasure”.

Patricia said:

“I could never have imagined five years ago that I would have set up a charity, that volunteering would be my life and mean so much to me.

Gift of a Wedding has been the most fulfilling and challenging thing I have ever had the pleasure to do, but the charity would not be able to do it’s wonderful work without the support of its fantastic team of volunteers and the thousands of UK wedding professionals who gift their time and skills each year to make sure we keep our promise  “to fulfil wedding dreams and create some unforgettable memories”.

It is has been an honour and a pleasure to create this unbelievably special charity for some extremely deserving people.”

The daily Points of Light award recognises outstanding individual volunteers - people who are making a change in their community.

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