Loving mother awarded BEM for charity work in memory of son Harry
A woman who has dedicated herself to raising funds to support sick children as a tribute and legacy to her own son, has been honoured by the King.
Sally Johnson, 50, has been awarded the British Empire Medal in King Charles III's Birthday Honours list.
Sally, who is headteacher at a county primary school, is recognised for her charitable services to people with cancer – through the Harry Johnson Trust.
She founded the trust after she and her family faced the tragedy of losing her seven-year-old son, Harry, who died in July 2014 after a nine-month fight with Double Hit Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
In the years since, the charity has raised more than £600,000, which has been used to provide invaluable support and help to other families in Shropshire and mid Wales whose children require treatment for cancer.
More than 250 families have now benefited from the trust's support – providing help such as 'Harry's Hampers', with items useful in the first few days in hospital; 'Harry's Hugs' a patchwork quilt or memory bear made from a child's clothes for loved ones to hug and remember, vouchers for families to visit places and have fun together; 'perfect pillows', soft fleece pillow cases and blankets for children to use when they start to lose their hair from chemotherapy, and Harry's House – a caravan for holidays in Mid Wales.
Sally, who lives at Long Mountain with her husband Stephen, 54, and her 18-year-old son Eric, said she had been overwhelmed when she discovered the news of the honour.
She said: "I am flabbergasted. It was a total surprise.
"I run the charity for all those amazing children with cancer who live in our area, so I do it because I love to be able to help and I feel it is a real privilege and honour to support those families in the way they need."
She added: "I do it because I love it and Harry would have loved it, and all the things we do are things people did for Harry and our family so I am just paying things forward for what people did for us."
