SO much is happening in the young life of Amy Garton-Hughes.

The 15-year-old from Wallasey suffers from a rare strain of already-rare Cockayne Syndrome, and the Globe has been backing an appeal to raise money to pay for her trips to America to receive specialist treatment.

A chance meeting between Julie Harris and Amy's mum Jayne led to an extraordinary charity event at The Cavendish pub in Birkenhead last week.

"I'd read all about Amy in the Globe and when I met Jayne, I just wanted to do something to help," said Julie.

So she organised a fundraising evening that had performers such as Tequila, Mark Lacey, Pauline Daniels and others. Tickets were sold, an auction organised - including prizes from both Liverpool and Everton FCs - and on Monday Julie presented Amy with £481.50.

Elsewhere, Heswall Roundtable presented a cheque for £5,000 to Amy, after thirteen members of the organisation compled a Coast to Coast cycle ride in June.

A walking weekend also took place in September and saw 18 members and guests of Heswall Roundtable walk up to the summit of Snowdon.

Several of the more adventurous members decided to take the route to the summit over Crib Goch.

A raffle organised by Oxton Conservative Club, with tickets being sold across Wirral, resulted in seven lucky winners taking away prizes including a holiday in Cyprus, a meal for two, a wine hamper, a bottle of champgne, some whiskey, a teddy bear and chocolates and bottles of wine - all of them kindly donated to the "Let's Help Amy" appeal.

More importantly, the raffle raised an impressive £3137.64 - every penny of which will go towards helping Amy receive the treatment she so desperately needs.

The treatment is working, too - since she started her trips to see world-renowned geneticist Dr Ed Neilan in Boston, Massachusetts, and Wallasey chiropodist Frank McBride, Amy's stance and walking has improved dramtically.

Amy is next due in America in a fortnight for yet more tests and examinations and as ever help is still desperately needed.

If you would like to donate to the "Let's Help Amy" appeal, then please send a cheque made payable to Amy Garton-Hughes, care of the Editor, Wirral Globe, Haymarket Court, Hinson Street, Birkenhead, CH41 5BX.