A BOY from York diagnosed with an extremely rare form of a life-limiting illness has tried his hand at being a barista.

Bill Gornall, who lives in Holgate, dropped in at York-based coffee business, YO1 Coffee Co to have a go at making the coffee which takes his name, Bill's Blend, and to open a new training room at the business.

Read next:

The business is run by Sid, Bill's dad's former work colleague Jon Mooney who is also a family friend.

York Press: Bill and Sid Gornall Bill and Sid Gornall (Image: Supplied)

He said: "Having Bill come down to open our training room at the York Auction Centre in Murton was an honour.

"To be able to offer him the opportunity to learn some basic barista training and give him a memorable experience. He fully embraced it and was very keen to learn."

York Press: Bill Gornall with a bag of Bill's BlendBill Gornall with a bag of Bill's Blend (Image: Supplied)

As The Press has previously reported, Bill, who is 12 and goes to Manor CE School, was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease MELAS in 2020, a rare disorder that begins in childhood and mostly affects the nervous system and muscles.

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.

York Press: Bill Gornall in his new powered wheelchairBill Gornall in his new powered wheelchair (Image: Supplied)

Soon after diagnosis they were forwarded the details of The Lily Foundation, the UK's leading mitochondrial disease charity and the largest charitable funder of mitochondrial research in Europe and to date the family and their friends have raised tens of thousands of pounds for the charity.

York Press: Sid Gornall, who won a Community Pride Award last year wants to scale Snowdon ten times in 24 hours this year as part of a fundraising effortSid Gornall, who won a Community Pride Award last year wants to scale Snowdon ten times in 24 hours this year as part of a fundraising effort (Image: Simon Godley)

Jon said: "I have entered Bill's Blend into the great taste awards of 2024 with a new and improved roast profile which we feel will help gain an award in this years event to help gain national recognition and help drive sales of the coffee, which will in turn go on to raise more funds and awareness of Bills MITO battle and the Lily foundation up and down the country.

"From the sale of each bag of Bill's Blend coffee we sell 100 per cent of the profits is donated to the cause and we have got other York businesses to help, one being Kennedy's Bar in York where Sid and I worked together back in 2001 and I worked for five years as a manager. We are both friends with Karen Waugh, the owner and she's agreed to donate 10p from the sale of every cup and to stock Bill's Blend for sale and Dusk in New Street is also looking at coming on board."

Bill's Blend is also available priced £8.50 from YO1coffeeco.com

To follow the family's story further go to their JustGiving page here and on Instagram @bills_mito_battle 

York Press: Olive, Sid and Bill Gornall with Jon Mooney and Bill's Blend outside Kennedy's Bar in YorkOlive, Sid and Bill Gornall with Jon Mooney and Bill's Blend outside Kennedy's Bar in York (Image: Supplied)