As Melton Mowbray ten-year-old Kaci Chapman gets ready to begin her walking challenge, Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children is calling on everyone in the community to show their support!

Kaci, who has the most severe form of Cerebral Palsy, usually needs a walking frame or a wheelchair for longer journeys. However, she’s determined to try to make the walk from her home in Asfordby Road to the village of Burton Lazars and back on January 31 without anything to assist her.

Walking to raise funds for Newlife so they can help other disabled children like her was Kaci’s birthday wish – and it has already prompted generous donations of £3,489 to her Go Fund Me page https://newlife.support/KaciWalks, but the more funds that are raised, the more children with disabilities can be helped!

Kaci’s mum, Kym said: “Luckily we have never had to struggle for equipment for Kaci but when she found out that other children just don’t have the equipment they need she couldn’t believe it. She made a birthday wish to help a charity and she chose Newlife herself.

“Kaci really wants to do this to help other children like her and she gets so excited when she sees how much people have donated, and I have been a bit emotional about how generous people have been, but the more funds we raise, the more other disabled children can be helped.”

Newlife co-founder and CEO, Sheila Brown is so supportive of Kaci’s fundraiser she plans to join her, socially distanced, so they can walk together for children who can’t.

Sheila added: “We really want to thank Kaci for all the time and effort she’s putting into this challenge and for thinking of all the other disabled children in need that Newlife helps, especially now when we need help fundraising more than ever.

“Kaci is truly an inspiration, not just to other children with disabilities, but to everyone. If you have ever thought about helping raise funds, Kaci proves there are no limits to what you can do. I know times are tough, but I really want to urge everyone to support her if they can!”

Newlife is the leading charity supplier of specialist equipment for disabled and terminally ill children around the UK, providing grants of equipment including specialist beds, seats, buggies, wheelchairs, walking frames and car seats to keep children safe and improve their quality of life – and helped friends of Kaci’s family receive the disability equipment they needed.

The charity also runs the only emergency equipment service that aims to get loans of specialist disability equipment to families in crisis anywhere in the UK within 72 hours.

High Street retailers, River Island who have supported Newlife for the past 30 years, and The Regatta Group who have supported the charity for the last five years, were so thrilled to hear about Kaci’s fundraising for event they have pledged to send Kaci a walking outfit and accessories so she can do her walk in style.

A spokesman for River Island said: “We admire Kaci for taking on a challenge to support such a great charity and cause (Newlife). Her determination to help other children like herself by a fundraising walk is admirable and courageous. We would like to wish Kaci all the best with her walk and as a gesture of our support we are delighted to have sent Kaci a birthday gift that will keep her both warm and stylish.”

Joanne Black, Managing Director of the Regatta Group, said: “What an amazing young lady! When we heard about Kaci’s wish to raise money on her 10th birthday for Newlife, we were blown away! And to do it in January as well – we knew we had to come to the rescue and provide her with some winter warm, stylish and practical clothing to keep her cosy on her walk!  We are proud to have been working with Newlife for over five years now and will continue to support them and the amazing children they help.”

Many of the fundraising events supporters had pledged to take part in since March last year have been cancelled, leaving the families they raise money for at risk. In addition, Newlife usually raises vital funds for its charity services through its seven stores across the UK, selling items donated by over 300 high street retailers that would otherwise be destined for landfill, but in-line with social distancing guidelines, all Newlife’s stores are temporarily closed.

To make a donation to Newlife or to find out more about fundraising please visit www.newlifecharity.co.uk or call 01543 462777.