Helpful Harry

Meet Harry – our Mascot

Helpful Harry is the Trust’s mascot. He has been on many adventures raising money to support children and adults suffering from leukaemia.Harry the Hedgehog was Tracy Sollis’s favourite cuddly toy and the Harry the Hedgehog logo is now recognised as being part of the Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust.

Sue Sollis at Lands End with Harry Hedgehog

Lands End to John O’Groats by moped!

The first of Harry’s adventures and the beginning of the Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust

It was on 5th May 1998 that Sue Sollis, the Founder Member of The Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust, traveled the length of the country to raise funds.

Traveling completely alone, apart from the company of ‘Harry Hedgehog’, The Trust’s mascot, the journey took 21 days.

There were a few detours to the planned route, due to unexpected circumstances. Sue now relates her experiences to various clubs and organisations in return for donations to The Trust. She is on the Worcestershire Women’s Institute’s list of approved guest speakers.

Sue recounted the undertaking and successful achievement of her journey from Land’s End to John-o-Groats on a moped to Wychbold WI at their 2006 at the Christmas meeting.

They were not surprised to learn that even this mind-boggling distance was not quite enough for our heroine – she added a paltry couple of hundred miles by a detour to Peterborough to join a rally of motorcycles, at which she was invited to lead the procession through the city on her moped, with the motor bikers in their leathers and goggles supporting her.

Harry goes sky diving

Harry joined Sue to take part in a parachute jump in 1997 to raise funds for the Trust.

A cheque presentation made by ‘Burton on Trent Police Force’, led to Founder Member of The Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust, Sue Sollis, participating in a Skydive. The police who had raised funds for the Trust by undertaking a parachute jump, challenged Sue to a similar experience.

Despite a great fear of heights, Sue underwent the challenge on 15th May 1997 with a Skydive from 12,500 feet. The jump took place at The Army Parachute Association’s base in Netheravon Wiltshire and jumping tandem with Sergeant Debbie Ingle, Sue leapt from the Red Devils Plane falling at 120 miles per hour. The jump raised £3,000.

Harry fancied joining in with the Skydive. A special harness was attached to him and he was strapped to Founder Member of The Trust’s Sue Sollis’s waist. It was the first time a hedgehog had attempted such a feat!

  • Harry Feeds Lamas with Sue Sollis,
  • Harry at John O'Groats
  • Harry playing table tennis Harry meets a friend – also called ‘Harry’, when he dropped in to see the Bengeworth Table Tennis Club hold a sponsored event for The Trust. “It was great fun” said Harry, “although I was beaten hands down”.
  • Harry goes abseiling Intrepid Harry fancied an abseil so decided to come down the Gloucester Fire Station Tower. There were a lot of people taking part, raising yet more money for The Trust.
  • Harry on the Radio Harry appeared on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester. He was interviewed by presenter Dave Bradley and was asked to relate his experiences of traveling from Lands End to John O’Groat’s on a moped. Unfortunately Harry was lost for words!
  • Harry’s Christmas tractor pull Britain’s strongest man, Russ Bradley, pulled a tractor complete with a trailer, carrying 18 children, 14 bales of hay, Father Christmas and not forgetting Harry Hedgehog . The mammoth pull covered a distance of 100 yards raising £3,000 towards the Trust back in 1997. Harry said “It was a very emotional occasion with the music ‘Simply the Best’ playing in the background. It was enough to make a Hedgehog’s prickles stand on end.”
  • Harry goes motorbiking Harry called in to The Sir Howy public house in Wales to collect a cheque and was given the pleasure of sitting on a ‘Harley Davidson’. He always dreamed of being a ‘biker’ and jumped at the chance to get his photo taken.