Bringing light to life

Sunlight is one of the things that humanity can’t live without. Whether you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or if you need a bit of sunshine to bring a smile to your face – it’s essential to life. For one family, a poorly little girl was in desperate need of some sunshine, but because of Meningitis she has sensitive skin and is unable to play outside with the rest of the children.

Ellie Mae was diagnosed with Meningitis when she was very young and has deteriorated since she contacted the disease. Meningitis has affected her severely and her skin is susceptible to the harshness of direct sunlight – this is where local trade counter and installer Horton Building Plastics and Liniar came together to help make her life a little brighter.

Ellie Mae’s Journey

Ellie May contracted meningococcal septicaemia in 2007, just days before turning 1 year old. Since then, she has undergone an overwhelming 90 surgeries, including one that left her bedridden and resulted in the loss of her legs.

At the age of 13, Ellie Mae underwent an operation to allow her to use a wheelchair to get around; and the family’s conservatory became an important part of Ellie Mae’s life. She was able to escape the confines of her bedroom and it offered her the chance to look outside at the garden. However, since it was built in 2011, the conservatory had now begun to leak and was no longer fit for purpose.

Recently, Ellie Mae’s mum, Kelly Mellor, reached out to the local press in Stoke-on-Trent to ask the community to support her in her endeavour to provide Ellie Mae with this much-needed space. Kelly’s mum told the publisher, “It would make a huge difference in Ellie’s life” – and that help has now come right before Christmas.

Supporting the Community

Helping the community around them is something Liniar stockist Horton Building Plastics of Stoke-on-Trent is known for. When the team heard about Ellie Mae’s situation, they knew they wanted to be a part of bringing some happiness to this little girl’s life.

Coming together for a good cause

The Managing Director of Horton Building Products, Rob Horton, enlisted the help of Liniar and local installers Westland Windows and First Choice to get the job done.

Phil Turner, Liniar’s Regional Sales Manager, offered to donate a brand-new Liniar lean-to roof which would not only help provide a bright, safe, weatherproof place for Ellie Mae to play, but one that was also energy efficient – ensuring she could use the conservatory all year round.

Just in time for Christmas

Westland Windows, First Choice and Horton’s Building Plastics arrived at Ellie Mae’s house on 5 December to install the roof and it was an overwhelming success. The new conservatory is warmer, airtight and secure, providing Ellie Mae with a safe place to enjoy the peace and beauty of her garden – without the worry of chest infections or getting wet.

It’s so heart-warming when the industry comes together to do something like this for a family in need – and Christmas is all about the season of giving.

Kelly Mellor commented,
The new conservatory is fantastic, it makes a huge difference. The new roof is a lot quieter even in the pouring rain; it looks great and it’s so nice to have a dry room.

Ellie is also overjoyed with her new conservatory space and told us, “I love it. I just can’t wait to get into the room!”

Find out more about the Liniar conservatory roof at https://www.liniar.co.uk/conservatories/