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Kate Winslet pays mum's £17,000 energy bill to keep daughter's life support on

14 November 2022, 16:09

Kate Winslet donated £17,000 to the family on their GoFundMe page. Picture: Carolynne Hunter/Getty

By Alice Dear

Kate Winslet donated thousands on Carolynne Hunter's GoFundMe page and even got in contact with the family to wish them well.

Kate Winslet, 47, has donated £17,000 to a mum from Tillicoultry who is facing soaring energy bills due to the equipment used to keep her daughter alive.

Carolynne Hunter, 49, is mum to 12-year-old Freya who has cerebral palsy and relies on receiving oxygen for her chronic breathing problems.

At the moment, it costs Carolynne £6,500 a year to run Freya's kit and keep the house warm, but that bill is only expected to rise.

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Recently, Clackmannanshire Council told the mum that her energy bill could soar to £17,000 next year amid the crisis which is affecting millions of other families up and down the country.

Kate Winslet poses in the Evian VIP Suite At Wimbledon earlier this year. Picture: Getty

Carolynne set up a GoFundMe page to help herself prepare for the soaring energy prices next year, and to her surprise, received a £17,000 donation from none other than Hollywood actress Kate Winslet.

The Titanic actress even got in contact with Carolynne and Freya after making the donation to wish them both well.

Carolynne smiles with her daughter, Freya, who is now 12-years-old. Picture: Carolynne Hunter

Speaking about the shocking turn of events, the mum said: "Our journey as family has been very traumatic and I just feel done at this point in my life.

"When I heard about the money I just burst into tears - I thought it wasn't even real. I'm still thinking is this real?"

A picture taken by Carolynne shows Freya's equipment which costs the family thousands of pounds a year to run. Picture: Carolynne Hunter

Speaking previously about her worries for Freya and their family amid the energy crisis, Carolynne said: "My situation is quite unbearable now. I've been worrying how to afford to pay for the amount of energy I need for the past seven months.

"The level of care Freya is having is probably on par with what would be happening in an intensive care ward. She needs constant heat and the staff need to be comfortable in the room."