The day was inspired by the activity of Alisha Taylor who is just 16. Alisha has said:
“I’ve got a rare heart condition that I’ve had since birth, and recently I lost a family member to heart disease, so I’ve a lot of very big reasons to raise money for the charity.”
She has explained that her aunt has also committed herself to fundraising. Other members of her family have got involved with charitable activities, while many of her friends have done so too.
Alisha is restricted in what she can do on an everyday basis. This is because her type of Truncus Arteriosus does have a major impact on her life. Nonetheless, she will not allow it to hold her back and has decided to continue with her attempts to raise money. In the future, she may use banner printing in Stoke on Trent to help draw attention to specific events.
With regard to the onesie day, a major aim was to raise awareness of a heart charity’s national campaign. However, there was also a target to collect £600. The sale of cakes was meant to generate some of this money. The college provided some support for Alisha and her friends, with a PR officer making the position of the institution clear.