Latest Newlife News

£1.5MILLION IS NEW CHARITY TARGET

Fabulous fundraisers at Central England Co-operative stores – including those in Norfolk – have set a new target of £1.5million to help local disabled and terminally ill children.

Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children has been Central England Co-operative’s staff-elected charity since May 2012. £1.2million has already been raised – helping to buy specialist equipment for more than 530 children across the retailer’s trading area – and now the partnership is being extended so more local families can benefit.

Central England Co-operative Chief Executive Martyn Cheatle said: “Our partnership with Newlife has been extremely successful. The dedication of the Society’s colleagues, members and customers has meant that we have been able to raise a significant amount of money and build a strong relationship along the way. As a community retailer and responsible business, it has been great to know that every penny raised as part of this charity campaign has gone to improve the lives of families in our trading area.”

“The success of our relationship gives me the great pleasure of being able to announce that we are going to continue to support Newlife and in doing so hope to reach a fundraising target of £1.5 million.”

Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children is the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness. Newlife CEO Sheila Brown, OBE, added: “This has been an amazing partnership, helping us to support so many in urgent need. Without this level of support from Central England Co-operative some of these children would have gone without the equipment altogether and many more would have had to wait months or even years just for an assessment of their needs. I would like to thank everyone at Central England Co-operative for their renewed support, which will continue to make such a difference to young lives.”

BUGGY BOOST FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD RILEY

Fundraisers at Central England Co-operative stores in Norfolk have helped a four-year-old from Diss get a specialist buggy so his family can get him out and about in safety.

Riley Tregale lives with his parents and 13-year-old sister. He has a diagnosis of autism, which affects his behaviour, the developmental co-ordination disorder dyspraxia and hypermobility, which impacts on the joints.

Mum Nancy Tregale said: “Riley can only walk short distances because of his condition but can’t fit into a standard buggy any more. His autism results in sensory overload which can lead to a meltdown, and as he is now big enough to fit into aged seven clothes I just can’t carry him. Combine this with a complete lack of awareness of danger and it meant we were struggling to get out.”

She added: “Riley’s special interest is road signs; if he sees one across the road that catches his eye he will dart straight across, regardless of any traffic. We were without a buggy for about six months, so we resorted to driving just about everywhere.”

Nancy was told that local statutory services do not fund special needs buggies, so Riley’s occupational therapist recommended she apply to Newlife for help to fund the equipment.
With the ongoing support of Central England Co-operative, a specialist buggy was delivered to the Tregale home earlier this month (September).

Nancy said: “It is making a huge difference in that we now have a choice about where to go and what to do with Riley. It is good for his sister too as we can now do more things as a family. The first time we used the buggy we went to High Lodge forest centre at Thetford. Normally we would only be able to go round a small part of the park, because Riley would quickly become tired, but now, with the buggy, we can spend more time there.”

Rosie Cole, manager at Central England Co-operative’s convenience store in The Street, Rickinghall, Diss, said: “Central England Co-operative takes fundraising to help local communities very seriously, and we are committed to making a positive impact in the local areas in which we trade. Working with Newlife has provided a great opportunity for us to help make life easier for youngsters like Riley.”

To find out more about Newlife’s work in Norfolk, go to: www.newlifecharity.co.uk/norfolk. The website includes contact details for the Newlife County Liaison Team – tel no 01543 431 444 or email local@newlifecharity.co.uk – and shows specific ways people can help support children with disability and terminal illness and their families in the county.

For full details of Newlife Foundation’s range of practical support for disabled and terminally ill children and their families, call the Newlife Nurse Helpline – 0800 902 0095 (free from UK landlines and mobiles) – or go to: https://newlifecharity.co.uk

Pictured: Riley Tregale

Web: https://newlifecharity.co.uk
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/newlifecharity
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newlifefoundation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/NewlifeFoundation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NewlifeFoundation