Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children is urging local people to join forces to raise money so 14 children across Derbyshire get the disability equipment they desperately need. 

Newlife needs to raise £13,725 to provide all 14 children with equipment they urgently need to reduce pain, prevent their conditions from deteriorating and to help them do everyday things most of us take for granted.

Newlife has already helped 41 children across Derbyshire in the last 12 months. Sadly without the support of the local community Newlife can’t fund every application it receives.

Lilly Pickard-Sykes, aged three, from the Mackworth area of Derby was recently helped by Newlife who provided a specialist bed through its Emergency Equipment Loan Service – but she still needs a permanent bed to keep her safe in the long-term.

When Lilly wakes in the night she repeatedly bangs her head and gets her arms and legs stuck between the bars of her cot bed, leaving her bruised and at serious risk of injury.

Marie said: “Lilly wears a helmet during the day to protect her head, but can’t sleep in it. The loan bed has made a massive difference to our lives – night time is much more peaceful now!

“Thanks to this bed Lilly can still rock and head bang, but the padding on the high sided bed means she can’t hurt herself and there’s no bars for her arms and legs to get trapped in. She’s awake, but I know she’s safe, which means I’m able to get some sleep.”

Consultant nurse at Newlife, Karen Dobson, said: “One of the most heart-breaking parts of my job is when we have to say no to a child and family who are in desperate need of help because we simply don’t have the funds.

“The reality is that many of these children have already been refused essential equipment by their local health services. That is why they turn to us, but unfortunately we haven’t got the funds to help them right now.

“Although we’ve been able to help some children we desperately need kind hearted locals – we literally can’t do it without your help. Every penny you give will genuinely be used to save and change young lives in the Derbyshire.”

You can make a donation by visiting the website www.newlifecharity.co.uk/derbyshire or by calling the Newlife fundraising team on 0800 988 4640. 100% of money raised will be used to help a child in need in your county.