A Rothley family are planning to give something back to the charity that is supporting their four-year-old son.
Amy and Alan Garner are organising a neighbourhood yard sale on the Avalon estate in the village, with more than 30 homes taking part. The event, on Sunday 4 September between 10am and 3pm, will raise money for Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children. There will also be a bouncy castle on the day to help keep children entertained and psychic reader Stacey Deacon for the adults.
Newlife is the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness. It has given the Garner family a video monitor to help in the care of their son Garrat, and a specialist bed to keep him safe at night will shortly be installed in their home.
Garrat has Autistic Spectrum Disorder which results in challenging behaviour. Dad Alan said: “The monitor has been a godsend. It means we can keep an eye on what he is doing when he is in his bedroom. When we get the SafeSpace bed it will give us peace of mind knowing he is safe.”
He added: “We are not rich people but we don’t like taking something without giving something back, so we thought organising a neighbourhood yard sale would be a good way to raise money for Newlife. Each stallholder will donate £10 to Newlife to be part of the event and I have 30 homes in Merttens Drive and Saxon Drive signed up already. We are hoping to get Armitage Drive and Turnpike Way involved as well. We will also be collecting donations for Newlife on the day.”
Newlife provides equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness through a range of services. Equipment Grants fund permanent provision (this is the service which is supporting the Garner family); Emergency Equipment Loans support children with unstable, life-threatening or life-limiting illness and those who face injury due to the absence of appropriate equipment; Play Therapy Pods offer loans of sensory toys which aid development; Comfort Capsules help families of terminally ill children make memories; Newlifeable takes redundant equipment and refurbishes it to meet national standards.
The charity has supported 406 children in Leicestershire with £403,980 of equipment. Right now, Newlife is working with a further 20 families with equipment needs totalling £13,576. To find out how you could help a child in the county, go to: www.newlifecharity.co.uk/leicestershire.
Pictured: Garrat Garner
Web: https://newlifecharity.co.uk
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