MICHELLE Lewis, the plucky Rainhill teenager who has raised almost a million pounds for charity, is to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at a special reception in Buckingham Palace.

The 17-year-old former Cowley pupil is currently just £67,000 short of that magical million milestone which she has vowed to reach by her 18th birthday in July.

And her efforts so impressed Buckingham Palace that her name has been included on an exclusive list of around 100 people across the country who will be congratulated for their work with the community or voluntary sector at a palace reception on February 23.

Michelle first met the Queen last June at a reception in Runcorn and her grandmother, Sylvia Lewis, told the Star: "She was so thrilled when she received the invitation. She is now really turning up the heat on her appeal and is desperate to hit the million mark by her 18th."

Meanwhile, Michelle is currently looking for a local business willing to donate £1,000 in sponsorship for her fund-raising 'Michelle and Friends' theatre show on Friday, June 23 at the Liverpool Empire. If you would like to get involved you can contact Sylvia on 0151 282 6756.

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