BOLTON based Business Brokers Hilton Smythe have supported a brave youngster who raised £9,000 by holding a special fundraising birthday party.

Charlotte Jennings celebrated her 13th birthday by asking for donations to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity — a place very close to her heart.

As she approached her 13th birthday Charlotte decided that the best gift she could get would be donations to the hospital which has treated her throughout her journey.

Charlotte welcomed 160 guests to the Hallmark Hotel in Handforth — at a party kindly sponsored by the Bolton firm.

In January last year Charlotte’s life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with a very rare form of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, resulting in a bone marrow transplant in summer last year.

Since her diagnosis Charlotte has been working tirelessly to raise funds for the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and Ward 84 — the children’s cancer unit at the hospital — despite her illness.

So far she has raised over £8,979.50, including a fantastic £5,300 from the party despite currently fighting Graft Versus Host Disease and having Extra Corporeal Photopheresis which involves filtering her blood through high intensity UV light.

Charlotte, from Gatley, said: "I want to thank everyone who came to my party, donated or helped out in any way; everyone’s support has been amazing. I especially want to thank Hilton Smythe, I can't put it in to words what it their involvement means to me. It was great to have all my family and friends together in one room raising money for the hospital.”

Angela Rowe, Community Fundraising Manager for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Charlotte is such a remarkable young lady and she never fails to amaze the team with her enthusiasm and positivity. She is a true inspiration to us all."