Former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher has opened up his 120-acre Peak District farm for families who’ve had a sick child in hospital.
The soap star-turned farmer opened the 18th-century farm for an Easter egg treasure hunt to families who’ve been through the trauma of having a sick child in hospital.
Kevin, along with his wife, moved from Oldham, Greater Manchester to a working farm near Macclesfield, Cheshire in 2021.
They reached out to Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, a charity providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families with children in hospital, with their offer.
Since then, the Fletchers opened up their farm to the public for the first time this Easter, welcoming families for ‘Fletchers on the Farm Easter Wonderland’.
The Emmerdale actor said the on-farm event held for Ronald McDonald House families was 'extra special'.
"It gave the most deserving people a fun-filled afternoon out, after they’ve been through the most difficult times of their lives," Kevin said.
“Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces was priceless.”
Mum Rachel Morgans, from Sandbach in Cheshire, was at the event with her three children, Imogen, 13, Ralph, four, and Bonnie, 20 months.
The family had stayed at Arrowe Park House from September until November 2021 after Bonnie was born at 23 weeks, weighing just 655g.
They then stayed at the Manchester House for a few weeks last summer, when Bonnie required a stay on intensive care, after both her lungs collapsed, and she ended up back on ventilation.
“She’s doing well now, although I try not to get too complacent," Rachel sad, "She’s still on oxygen and has a few little issues but she’s doing better than we ever thought she would.
“When we were invited to Fletcher’s Farm, we knew it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.
"Unless you’ve been in a Ronald McDonald House, you don’t understand how important it is to have those family moments, when you can make memories and take pictures to cherish forever."
