Lily's Pebble Project launched to take little girl around the world

After asking to be taken to the beach as one of her last wishes, a much-loved little girl from Louth has now had pebbles in her name taken to special places all around the world.

Lily Harley passed away in March 2023 after battling Grade 3 Ependymoma, a rare type of brain tumour, and her parents Emily Morton and Josh Harley launched Lily’s Rainbow Fund to raise money for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity in her memory.

Following her passing, Emily encouraged people to take a rock or pebble, painted by Josh’s grandmother Barbara, and leave it for Lily somewhere special in a bid to take her name all around the world.

It proved so successful, with rocks left by well-wishers, friends and family as far afield as the Dominican Republic, Los Angeles, Sweden, Majorca, and Barcelona, that now Lily’s Rainbow Fund has officially launched Lily’ Pebble Project, with people being urged to take their own pebbles on their travels for Lily.

One of Lily's pebbles was left at Barkston's Maize Maze.

Emily said: “A few weeks before Lily passed away, she asked us if we could take her on a ‘sunny beach holiday’ but we knew at that point in time, it wasn’t going to be possible.

"A while after Lily passed away, we made the decision to go on this sunny beach holiday for Lily, to allow ourselves some time away from home to process things, and to take her memory to places she wasn’t able to go. Here, the idea of Lily’s Pebble Project was born.”

Emily said that it was nice for their family to see the photos of all the places her pebbles have travelled, and to receive messages from people all over the world who have not only found these pebbles, but want to make their own pebbles to leave in different places.

“In 2024, we want as many people as possible to take these pebbles with them when they go on adventures and leave them somewhere special, whether that be within the UK or abroad.”

To get involved with Lily’s Pebble project, you can contact Emily and Josh to collect a pebble of your choice and leave it in a special place, and then send a photo with details of the location of your pebble on Lily’s Rainbow Fund’s Instagram page at @lilysrainbowfund. Donations towards the fund are appreciated.

You can also create your own pebble with ‘In memory of Lily Harley, aged 4. 30/1/2019-28/3/2023’ on the back and then leave it somewhere special.