Four-year-old Oliver Smith from Westway in Stafford is getting specialist support to keep him safe and comfortable during journeys to his many medical appointments – thanks to fabulous fundraisers at Central England Co-operative.
Oliver has Cerebral Palsy which affects his mobility; he needs additional support to sit upright and keep his hips aligned at all times – and a special-needs car seat costing £820 is being provided by Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children, with funding from Central England Co-operative.
Mum Christine Smith said: “Oliver has a tendency to wriggle around in his current standard car seat because it doesn’t offer the appropriate postural support he needs. Having the right equipment will help reduce future health issues. In addition to this, the harnesses on standard car seats are not suitable for older, larger children, which means his safety is compromised. So getting a specialist seat, which also has a swivel base so we can get him in and out of the car with fewer manual handling issues, is good news for Oliver – and us!”
Oliver has had injections into his hips to help loosen the muscles and improve positioning of his legs, and uses a standing frame to complement this.
Christine added: “The car seat that Oliver is getting is the best piece of equipment for his specific need. Statutory services couldn’t help us with funding so Oliver’s physiotherapist suggested we contact Newlife.”
Staffordshire-based Newlife is the UK’s largest charity provider of specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illness. It has supported 980 children across the county, with equipment totalling £1,064,139.
Newlife has been Central England Co-operative’s staff-elected charity since 2012. Colleagues and customers have raised an amazing £1.3million for Newlife, which has helped more than 600 disabled and terminally ill children in the retailer’s trading area get the specialist equipment they so urgently need.
Nick Bates, Manager at Central England Co-operative’s supermarket in Rising Brook, Burton Square, Stafford, 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 Oliver.”
To find out more about how Newlife supports disabled and terminally ill children in the area, go to: www.newlifecharity.co.uk/staffordshire.
If you think you could help a local child, go to the website and donate. Alternatively, contact the Newlife County Liaison Team on 01543 431 444, email local@newlifecharity.co.uk.
Right now, Newlife is working with the families of a further 25 children in the county, with equipment needs totalling £11,183. Every penny donated or fundraised in Staffordshire will be used to provide equipment for local children.
Pictured: Oliver Smith
Web: https://newlifecharity.co.uk
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newlifethecharity/
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