May 2024
Hello and welcome to May’s newsletter. Hope you have had the best month possible.
Merryn’s Smile Day
On the 13th May we celebrated Merryn’s Smile Day. We sent 40 Smiles, quadruple the number of a regular month, to Severe and Very Severe ME sufferers in Merryn Crofts name.
Our Merryn’s Smile Day Smiles are slightly different to our regular Smiles. We offered the options of balloons, cosy sets, cuddly toy, flowers or a plant which we then personalised as much as we could for each individual recipient. The Smiles were not wrapped as we appreciate opening presents with Severe ME can be difficult in many ways, however they were still packaged with love which Merryn radiated. 
Included in each Smile was a rose quartz heart, which means love and healing, as Merryn loved rose quartz. Also items kindly donated by fellow ME sufferers, a slogan polaroid by Hannah and a homemade crochet heart, flower or butterfly by Emma to send love or a piece of nature from the world Severe ME sufferers are often missing from. Thank you Hannah and Emma.
A special thank you to our local gift shop Finishing Touches for their kind support with helping to supply the Jellycat cuddly toys.
“Thank you so much, you definitely made Isobel smile. Makes such a difference when these are received. Thank you”
“Thank you for the most beautiful gifts for Jack. It is his birthday on May 14th and he was absolutely made up with the gifts you sent. Happy heavenly birthday to Merryn”
“Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness”
“The most wonderful surprise from Clare Norton & Merryn, an incredibly kind generous @SmileForME arrived today. I am so grateful to them for this & to Clare for her friendship”
“The other day I received a Smile For ME from my beautiful friend Naomi – so grateful for you. I have recently lost my precious nanna & going through it with my health so this really was such a lovely surprise. Thank you”
“The loveliest, most unexpected surprise happy post arrived and put a big smile on my face this morning. Thank you to Laura (one of my favourite humans in the whole world) for nominating me for #MerrynSmileDay in memory of Merryn Crofts who sadly passed away from Very Severe M.E in 2017, not long after her 21st Birthday. Merryn’s Smile Day is celebrated every 13th May (Merryn’s Birthday) when surprise happy post is sent to people with Severe and Very Severe M.E who have been nominated to receive them by loved ones. Thank you SO much Smile For ME for my gifts and for all the amazing work that you do to spread joy all year round, during the darkest times. I (like many of us with M.E) think about Merryn often, she will never be forgotten. For anyone reading this, please consider making a donation to Smile For ME charity to help them continue to spread Smiles to people with M.E and their Carers: www.smileforme.org.uk/”
“Thank you for Lydia’s smile today, it made her smile and cry tears of joy, she says a huge thank you”
“Thank you for Lydia’s smile today, it made her smile and cry tears of joy, she says a huge thank you”
“This just arrived from Clare Norton and Merrryn @SmileForME_xx I’m absolutely thrilled and so grateful. A surprise box full of lovely goodies. Dear Clare who, despite her grief, continues to be a fantastic spokesperson for all ME patients. Thank you”
“Lacey was so happy with her smiles and it really has made her properly smile, the first time in a while so thank you so much xx”
“Thank you so much for Connor’s Merryn Smile Day special smile. He was so surprised and very happy with his lovely Harry Potter balloons and thoughtful gifts. Connor was very interested to learn that the rose quartz heart was included because Merryn loved rose quartz and he said that the crochet heart will go really well with his Harry Potter Weasley collection, as they have a lot of knitted and crochet items in their house. You certainly did create a very big smile today.”
“Thank you so much @smileforme what you’re achieving and the smiles you’re bringing is incredible and thank you for nominating me Alexis #MerrynSmileDay”
ME Awareness Day
12th May is International ME Awareness Day. 
Smile For ME raises awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis by sharing personal accounts from ME sufferers and their carers through our segment ‘Share a story’. By listening to the ME community share their experiences you can learn first hand how ME impacts the lives of those affected: smileforme.org.uk/shareastory.
If you would like to share your story please get in contact with us: smileformecharity@gmail.com
Share a story
For this month’s share a story we are sharing a video interview from Jennie Jacques, The Monster In ME, where she talks to Clare and Amy, Merryn Crofts Mum and sister about Merryn’s heartbreaking experience of ME and NHS treatment.
At the end of the video there is a little interview with me where I nervously explain more about Merryn’s Smile Day, talk about Merryn and a little bit about my personal experience with ME and NHS treatment. I was really nervous doing it, because I just like to be quiet behind the scenes, but I have a bracelet Merryn gave me which says ‘Love life, be brave’ so I decided to be brave and help share the word about Merryn.
Fundraising
Bake4MECFS
When chatting with Jennie she kindly offered to support Merryn’s Smile Day with her fundraiser Bake4MECFS. They’ve launched a special Disney themed Bake Off for Smile For ME in honour of Merryn Crofts. 
Step 1: Donate
www.gofundme.com/f/bake-4-me-cfs-smile-for-me
Step 2: Bake
All levels and ages of baking and bakers are welcome and encouraged. If you have an idea but are not well enough to bake collaborative bakers are available. Contact bake4me.social@gmail.com to be partnered with someone who will bake on your behalf. You can also enter a photo of a previous bake, perhaps from a ‘better day’ or before ME.
Step 3: Tag/email/connect
Share your entry with @bake4mecfs
Your bakes will be judged by Jennie Jacques, Lorna McFindlow, Christina Baltais and I’ve been asked to help judge too. Star Bakers will be announced and an amazing prize of over £100 of The Miranda Shop items generously donated by Miranda Hart will be won.
There have been wonderful entries already and there is still time to get involved. Entries need to be submitted by 11th June.
Blue Sunday
19th May was this year’s Blue Sunday, The Tea Party For ME. Thanks to the creator Anna the ME community, their families, friends and allies came together and raised an incredible amount of money for ME charities. We joined in by wearing blue and enjoyed a party mix brownie.
A massive thank you to everyone who kindly chose to support Smile For ME. An amazing £2,788.37 was raised for us which will enable us to continue sending Smiles to people affected by ME so we can’t thank you enough. 
Sally Wemyss
Included in our Blue Sunday total was an incredible £1,735 raised by Sally! She held her own tea party, organised a raffle and went above and beyond to help support us. A big thank you to Sally for all your efforts, thank you to all the people and companies who donated items and to everyone who supported. We are so touched and very grateful to you for helping us to continue sending Smiles to people affected by ME. 
Isaac
Thank you to Isaac who brilliantly created and performed in a Blue Sunday online concert. He’s raised over £1,300 for Smile For ME and ME Research UK, not yet counted in our total as he is donating once his fundraiser ends.
The concert is available until 31st May: Tea Party For ME The Concert Click on ‘details’ below sales ended, donate and then you will be sent an email with the link to the YouTube video concert.
Credit to Erin Hephzibah @erinhephz_ for the graphics
Special mentions
A special mention to those who have kindly supported us this month. @Fureverlastingmemories made and sold two different personalised ME Awareness pet themed edits. 
Cosy Gamer Lo held charity gaming streams playing Tears of the Kingdom, Princess Peach Showtime! and Palia. The live streams are still available to watch on her YouTube channel. 
Smile of the month
What’s made you smile this month? Each month we ask this question on social media and we love hearing the responses. We hope by sharing some of your smiles it can help others to find a smile too. 
Thank you’s
A big thank you to everyone who has supported us this month. From the supportive messages to the generous fundraising and donations, your kindness has meant a lot. We would not be able to do what we do without your generosity so we can’t thank you enough.