Rays of Sunshine reunites Niall Horan with Biggleswade schoolgirl

Effy Hilditch first met Niall and One Direction in 2014 before her life-saving heart transplant.

The 10-year-old celebrated the pop star’s 26th birthday at a special event with Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity.

Niall Horan has been an ambassador of the charity, which formed in 2003, which brightens the lives of seriously ill children by granting their wishes for many years and regularly gives up his time to help the charity, granting magical wishes and hosting exclusive events for seriously ill children.

Effy first met Niall when she was an in-patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London. She was on a waiting list for a heart transplant and due to this required a ‘Berlin Heart’, a machine which acts as an artificial heart.

She has since had a successful heart transplant and is a positive and happy girl with a great outlook on life.

Effy has admired Niall from the beginning of his music career and has remained a great fan of him and his music.

It was a spectacular experience for Effy to be reunited with her idol and to make this even more special, she got to present him with a birthday cake from Lolly’s Bakes, and a card on behalf of Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity.

Niall spent time chatting with all the children at the special event, before singing some of his songs and answering questions.

Effy’s mum, Leigh Collins, said: “Effy loved seeing Niall again, it was such a special moment for her to give him his birthday cake and catch up with everyone that helped with her first wish.”

Rays of Sunshine CEO, Jane Sharpe, said: “We are so incredibly grateful to our wonderful ambassador Niall for giving up time on his birthday for our wish children and their families to make some truly precious memories.

“It was a pleasure for everyone to spend some time with Niall and celebrate his special day with him.”

For more information about Rays of Sunshine, or to apply for a wish to be granted, visit: www.raysofsunshine.org.uk.