Chloe Mellor got to serve in an ice cream van thanks to Whitby Morrison Ice Cream Vans
The wish of a shy little six-year-old girl has been granted thanks to help from a family-owned business in Crewe. For months Chloe Mellor has been making wishes when she’s found an eyelash or visited fountains or wishing wells, and mum Beki had no idea of what her daughter had wished for.When she finally coaxed it out of the youngster – to her amazement – she discovered it was to serve ice-cream from an ice-cream van.
Chloe was over the moon to receive a present from Whitby Morrison on her birthday. After making an appeal on Facebook to help grant the wish in time for her birthday, the community responded and suggested Crewe Ice Cream Van manufacturer Whitby Morrison.
Company director Ed Whitby, who has two daughters of a similar age, loved the idea and immediately agreed to help. Chloe’s mum Beki explained: “Chloe has always been obsessed with ice cream and ice-cream vans, but I never expected her wish to be what it was. Ed contacted me to say he could help and it was fantastic.
“Sadly because of the nature of the business it took a few weeks to sort out and the visit and wasn’t in time for her sixth birthday, however Ed sent Chloe a package through the post with a calendar, some pictures and information on how ice-cream vans were made. I used that to surprise her on her birthday to tell her that her wish had been granted. She was over the moon.
“When the van was sorted and came down the street with its chimes going, her face was an absolute picture of joy. She was beaming from ear to ear.
“Chloe is very shy and doesn’t talk to many people, especially strangers but she was so at ease with Ed – he made her day. She was in the van serving ice cream with the biggest smile on her face.
“After the van left, she just kept bounding down the stairs and just jumping everywhere – no words – just sheer happiness.
“I can’t stop looking at the video of it and even my family are the same saying how lovely it is to see her so happy.
“I can’t thank Ed enough for taking the time to visit her. She has come to me since to tell me that when she grows up she wants to be an ice cream lady.”
Ed said the decision to help was an easy one. “As soon as I heard that Beki had made a plea on Facebook, I knew we had to help. We always do try to help as much as we can within the community.
“As a father to two girls of a similar age I know how they think, and how happy they would be if someone could grant a wish that they had. I had the chance to do that for Chloe so it was easy.
“Seeing her face light up as the van came down the road was worth everything in the world. She is such a lovely little girl, and her response was so genuine and so grateful.
“Crewe gets so much negative press but there is so much good going on here. If we could all spare a little time to do something for someone else then the world would be such a happier place.
“Too many people want to take something from the world, but doing that took just half an hour out of my day and gave a little girl a special memory that will probably stay with her for most of her life.
“That’s quite an overwhelming feeling.”
As written by Leanne Palin for the Crewe Chronicle:
https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/crewe-business-grants-chloes-wish-16350526