Eighteen Chelmsford children aged 6 to 14 will be taking part in a 3km muddy obstacle race to raise funds for their ten-year-old friend Hope Lane who has cerebral palsy.
Hope’s brother Ben, 12, and twin sister Ava, plus friends George, Hollie, Josh, Louis, Erin, Jacob, Zach, Freya, Molly, Zach, Louis, Bella, Sam, Rosie, Henry and Samuel, who mostly attend Chelmer Valley, Sandon, Broomfield, Springfield, Danbury Park and Little Waltham schools, will be taking part in The Rookie Nuclear race in Brentwood on May 13.
Hope Lane, 10, from Chelmsford, and her identical twin sister Ava were born very early, at just 27 weeks. Hope weighed just 750g. Aged 18 months, she was diagnosed with quadriplegic spastic dystonic cerebral palsy.
She is a happy, cheeky girl, but is unable to sit, stand or walk unaided. Her family have already fundraised for adaptations to their home including a lift, wet room and ramps so that she can be more mobile and safe at home. She attends private physiotherapy twice a week to help her with mobility, strength and speech.
Mum Rachel, 42, a recruitment counsellor said: ‘It was Ava’s idea that it should be their turn to raise money for Hope and then our friends’ kids also wanted to get involved. We are so grateful for their help to get muddy for Hope and to raise money for her ongoing costs.”
‘Hope is a typical ten-year-old who likes going out with her family, playing with her brother and sister, going to the beach, going out for dinner, playing with our dog.’
‘Her physio costs £1,000 per month and greatly helps her with her mobility and confidence. And there is always new equipment to buy as she grows.’
‘We fundraise constantly, I did a triathlon, my husband Phil did a Three Peaks Challenge, there is always something going on! We are extremely lucky to have the support of our friends and family and are always appreciative of every event and every penny donated.’
The family is being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope which helps families fundraise for children like Hope with healthcare needs, where the NHS can’t support and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, corporate support whilst also providing donor reassurance.
Gill Gibb, Tree of Hope CEO said: ‘We’re delighted the family have so much support around them and wish the children all the best with this fun event!’
To donate to Hope’s fund or to sponsor the children visit https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/hope-lane/ or https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/muddykidsforhope
