For his own safety, a Brixham four-year-old with Autism is sleeping on a mattress on the floor of his bedroom; the windows are boarded up and a custom made gate has replaced the door. But a specialist bed would give a calm, safe place to sleep which he would be unable to damage.

Hudson Wing is a funny and cheeky boy, but he has Autism, which means that he is non-verbal, has no awareness of danger and has challenging behaviour which can be destructive. In the past he has climbed and jumped on to his windowsill and thrown his bedframe around his bedroom. As a result, there is now nothing in his bedroom but a mattress and a few soft toys, but he has learned how to unzip the mattress cover and is shredding the memory foam inside.

Hudson desperately needs a safe sleeping environment which can be enclosed which can keep him from harm and which will also provide a low stimulation environment to help him relax, fall asleep and sleep through the night. Not only would the bed make a massive difference to Hudson’s life, his mum Laura, dad Dave and seven-year-old brother, Taylor, would also enjoy a calmer life and have peace of mind that Hudson is safe and be able to sleep better.

Now Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children is looking for ‘local heroes’ who can help us make this happen. We already have £796 towards this vital piece of equipment, which costs £2,208, including a £90 contribution from the family, but £1,412 is still needed.

Mum Laura said: “At home Hudson is very destructive, he has ripped his bedroom door off its hinges numerous times, he climbs on things he shouldn’t and jumps off and also pulls curtains down. He could really hurt himself and we are always worried for his safety.

“To keep Hudson safe there is a custom made gate on his door and the windows are boarded up but it makes his bedroom look like a prison cell and I don’t want that for him; it doesn’t look like a four-year old’s bedroom, it’s really sad.”

It takes Hudson a long time to settle to sleep and he can wake up to four times a night and often starts the day at 4am. This means the rest of his family don’t get much sleep as they are always worrying about what he might do next.

Mum Laura said: “Having the bed would be beneficial in so many ways! It would mean Hudson had somewhere safe and calm to sleep at night and as a family we wouldn’t have to worry as we would know he was safe. It would also enable us to make his bedroom far more suitable for a four-year-old to use during the day. At the moment he has no toys or other furniture in there as it would be dangerous at night as well as overstimulating which would stop him sleeping.

“As the bed is lightweight and compact it can be folded down and transported, which means we might, in the future, be able to go away together as a family.”

We need donors and fundraisers who want to really make a difference, helping us transform Hudson’s everyday life. To find out how you can support Hudson, go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk/devon. Alternatively, contact the Newlife County Liaison Team on 01543 431 444, email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.

Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of monies donated or fundraised in Devon will be used to specifically help children with disabilities and terminal illness in the county. Any money raised surplus to requirements for Hudson will be used to help other children in Devon.

Pictured: Hudson Wing with his brother Taylor

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