HUNDREDS of children at a York school got behind an 11-year-old boy from the city with an extremely rare form of a life-limiting illness today.

All 332 pupils at Acomb Primary School took part in a 'moveathon' - doing 30 minutes of walking, jumping or skipping, to raise money for the school's charity of the year - the Lily Foundation.

The school has championed the charity for the past two years in support of Bill Gornall, a Year 6 pupil who has Mitochondrial Disease.

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Head, Lee Haynes, said the school has held a number of fundraising events in the past two years, including a Year 6 fiver challenge and a Year 6 teacher running the London Marathon.

The Moveathon - where all children moved round the school grounds in different ways - walking, running, cartwheels, roller skating and even crawling was Bill's idea and he took great pleasure in starting off the event and supporting some of the other classes.

His dad, Sid, said: "Bill's idea is to get the school using energy to highlight the impact that not having energy has on his body. 

"Bill has only a few days left at Acomb and the school has been fantastic in supporting him and the charity."

York Press: Bill with siblings, Buddy, eight and Olive, five outside Acomb SchoolBill with siblings, Buddy, eight and Olive, five outside Acomb School (Image: Sid Gornall)

Over the last two years, the school has raised almost £4,000 for the Lily Foundation and donations can still be made via our Justgiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/liz-johnson-1688458994442 

Head, Lee Haynes, said: "I am extremely proud of our school for supporting this amazing charity in such an inclusive way.

"The children have had a great day and have learned more about the work of the Lily Foundation through our work over the past two years. Bill is an outstanding ambassador for the school and his enthusiasm is boundless."

York Press: Lee Haynes Lee Haynes

As previously reported by The Press, Bill, who lives in Holgate with Sid, and siblings, Buddy, eight and Olive, five, was diagnosed in 2020 with mitochondrial disease MELAS, a rare disorder that begins in childhood and mostly affects the nervous system and muscles.

Bill and his family got to meet the York Knights rugby players ahead of their game at the Community Stadium against London Broncos, which Bill and his family also be attended and Bill got to carry the ball on to the pitch.

Bill has an extremely rare form of the life-limiting illness mitochondrial disease MELAS, a rare disorder that begins in childhood and mostly affects the nervous system and muscles.

Mito - as his family call it - is a degenerative condition affecting the mitochondria in your cells which provide 90 per cent of the energy for them to perform properly. If the mitochondria are unable to produce energy for the cell it dies and the organ the cell is supporting can fail.

The Lily Foundation is the UK's leading mitochondrial disease charity and the largest charitable funder of mitochondrial research in Europe. 

To follow the family's story on Instagram @bills_mito_battle