Derbyshire Charity Launches ‘30 Days of Hope’ Campaign to Support Families Facing Uncertain Futures

Melbourne-based charity me&dee is calling on the public to become a ‘Giver of Hope’ this June by taking part in their new fundraising appeal.

The charity, founded by Maria Hanson MBE, provides memory-making experiences and comfort gifts to families facing short and uncertain futures due to life-limiting and terminal conditions. Their new campaign – 30 Days of Hope – invites individuals, schools, community groups, and businesses to raise £30 across the 30 days of June, helping the charity send out more of its unique and cherished ‘Hope’ elephants.

Each Hope elephant costs £30 to create and send. Designed with zipped ears to hold a voice recorder, notepad, and other keepsakes, they offer lasting comfort to children and parents alike. Families can record a loved one’s laughter or a child’s sleepy snores – precious sounds that can be kept forever.

Maria Hanson MBE, founder and unsalaried CEO of me&dee, said:

“A Hope elephant costs £30 to send to a family facing the unimaginable, and June has 30 days – it felt like the perfect match for a fundraiser. Hope is incredibly popular, and our dream is to be able to gift one to every family that needs it in 2025.”

There are many ways to take part in the 30 Days of Hope challenge. Participants could:

• Complete a 30-minute activity each day in June and ask for £1 sponsorship per day

• Walk, run, or cycle a mile a day for 30 days

• Host a bake sale with 30 items at £1 each

Participants can take on the challenge solo or as part of a group. The charity also offers fundraising tools, including sponsorship forms, a special 30 Days of Hope poster, and collection boxes. Supporters who raise £60 – enough to fund two elephants – will even receive their very own baby Hope.

The campaign is rooted in real impact. One young girl, whose brother passed away suddenly, shared:

“On the day of his passing, my mum came home with a beautiful elephant matching the one my brother has with him, and a me&dee bag filled with comforting gifts that brought him closer to me.”

Maria, affectionately known as Derby’s Fairy Godmother, runs the charity with a small team of staff and volunteers. She does not take a salary and must raise around £160,000 each year to fund the charity’s vital work.

Since its founding 18 years ago, me&dee has seen demand rise steadily. Initially aiming to support 100 families a year, the charity has already helped over 200 families so far in 2025 alone.

In addition to gifting Hope elephants, me&dee provides memory-making experiences, short breaks, and emergency comfort packs for families rushing to hospital. They also work with palliative care units, adult cancer wards, and children's mortuaries to provide sensitive, thoughtful support during the hardest of times.

Maria added:

“Our biggest wish is to raise enough this June to send out at least 30 more Hope elephants. That’s just £900 – but with your help, we know we can do even more. We’d also love to find new long-term sponsors to help us grow our reach throughout the year.”

To register and receive your fundraising pack, email [email protected].

Be a Giver of Hope this June – because every child deserves a memory that lasts forever.