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Olivia is a bright, cheeky and adventurous young girl with a ‘wicked sense of humour’. She lives with her Mum, Dad, little sister and their kitten.
Olivia has Down’s Syndrome with delayed learning and low muscle tone, which also means her physical development is delayed. This meant that she wasn’t able to ride a bicycle, and children’s trikes were too small for her.
When her younger sister got her first bike, it understandably made Olivia frustrated that she couldn’t join in with family bike rides, or play with her sister outdoors.
This is where we came in; the family applied for a Pashley Robin Tricycle, costing around £500, so that Olivia could access the same opportunities as her sister, and to avoid her feeling left out of family activities.
We fund specialist equipment for babies, children and young people living with disabilities and additional needs in the North East. The equipment we fund is not available on the NHS, yet can significantly improve the daily lives of local families.
Much like the children we support, the equipment we fund is wonderfully diverse, and trikes are a popular request as they have so many different benefits for a vast range of different children and their individual needs. They typically cost anywhere from £500 to £5,000, depending on the specialist features needed, which falls far outside the average family’s budget.
Olivia received her trike in time for summer and not only has it helped her build muscle strength, it’s also had a positive impact on her mental health, allowing her to play outdoors, race her sister and take part in family bike rides, as well as developing confidence – making a difference to her overall wellbeing.
A lot of children ask for a new bike for Christmas, but for families who require something more specialist, the price tag becomes out of reach. This Christmas, you could make a direct difference to the daily life of a child like Olivia.
As a small charity, we receive zero statutory funding, and rely solely on the generosity of our donors. All donations made over the festive season will be used to fund the specialist equipment that has been applied for in the last quarter – totalling almost £40,000.
Watch Olivia's story below.