Stars hand Tilly A-list backing
Johnny Vegas and Sir Alan Sugar lend a hand with Hollywood star Will Smith lined upSUPERSTARS including Jonathan Ross, Johnny Vegas and Sir Alan Sugar have lent their hands to the Give Tilly A Hand campaign. Tow Law two-year-old, Tilly Lockey, lost her hands and toes to meningitis last year and her parents need to raise £60,000 a year to provide her with prosthetic hands.
One of their fundraising campaigns has seen them collect celebrity handprints to auction off in February and more recently enlisting the help of A-list interviewer Jonathan Ross. Sarah Lockey, Tilly’s mum, said: “After hearing about our campaign, Jonathan contacted us and asked if we wanted to visit his studio.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t take Tilly because she’s not old enough, but I had a fantastic time and it went really well. “Jonathan is wonderful, no different to what you see on the TV. “He is a whirlwind of enthusiasm and is full of personality.
“He was more than happy to let us make a cast of his hands, and even got some of his guests involved as well. “We didn’t get to actually meet Sir Alan Sugar because he had to leave in a hurry but he very kindly give us a cast, as did Johnny Vegas who was a really lovely bloke. “I thanked him for giving us a cast and he seemed amazed and said: ‘why are you thanking me? This is such a tiny thing for me to do, and is nothing compared with what you are doing”.
“He then offered to give us any help we needed and promised to tell all his friends about us. “He even took a Tilly key ring and put it on his keys. “I got his contact details so hopefully he’ll keep in touch.”
Sarah has been invited back to London in June where she hopes to get a hand cast of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, turned alien destroyer and Apocalypse survivor, Will Smith. She said: “I had been really nervous before I went because I wanted it to go well and hopefully get asked back to make more casts, so I was delighted when Jonathan invited me back in June.
“He asked me if I’d like Will Smith to give us a cast, and of course I said “yes, absolutely” so he’s letting us come back when he’s a guest on the show. “I’m not sure who else will be there but hopefully we can get them involved as well.”
The Lockey’s were also visited by former Coronation Street star and Rover’s Return landlady, Denise Welch, who joined them for breakfast at their Tow Law home. Sarah said: “Denise is a very personable person who has lots of family up here. “She went to school in Consett. She was really nice and had a bit of a chat with us and said she would do what she could.
“She is currently appearing on ITV’s Loose Women and has so far got Geri Hailliwell and Kelly Rowland to draw around their hands and sign them for the auction, which will be held in February.” The casts are being made for free by Metrocentre based Photography For Little People who went down to London with Sarah to collect the casts.
Sarah said: “They have been amazing and their technique of making casts is just so quick and easy, that I think the celebrities will all be really happy to do it.” For more details on the charity visit www.tillylockey.co.uk
