Fabulous fundraisers at Central England Co-operative stores – including those across Northamptonshire – 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 542 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.”
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.”
HELPING ALEXANDER GO OUT AND ABOUT IN SAFETY…
When six-year-old Alexander Johnson’s specialist buggy broke he was at risk of becoming house bound.
Fabulous fundraisers at Central England Co-operative stores in Northamptonshire are now helping Alexander, from Kettering, get out and about in a new buggy in comfort and safety.
Alexander has a rare chromosome deletion, this has resulted in him having severe global developmental delay, low muscle tone and hypermobility of his joints. When he was nine months his parents realised that he was not developing as he should have been at that age.
Alexander has no awareness of danger and will regularly run off unknowingly putting himself in harm’s way, so a specialist buggy is essential for keeping him safe when out and about.
Mum Michelle Johnson said: “Without the buggy it would be very difficult to go out with Alexander. When his old buggy broke we were lucky that his school loaned us a replacement until the new one arrived from Newlife.”
With the specialist buggy costing £666, and no statutory funding available, the family turned to Newlife – the UK’s leading charity funder of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness – for help.
Michelle added: “The new buggy is fantastic! Alexander loves being outdoors and the specialist buggy has made it possible for us to continue taking him out in safety. The good thing is that the buggy will grow with him so it will definitely be used for years to come.”
Amy Marsh, Store Manager at Central England Co-operative’s food store in Hallwood Road, Kettering, 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 Alexander.”
To find out more about Newlife’s work in Northamptonshire, go to: https://newlifecharity.co.uk/Northamptonshire. 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: Alexander Johnson
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