Residents from a south Oxfordshire market town are rallying together to help the family of an irreversibly brain-damaged three-year-old raise money for a motorised wheelchair.
Elliott Baker, three, who lives with parents Caroline and Peter in Watlington, has been left with limited speech and restricted physical movement from an undiagnosed condition. The tot spent the early weeks of his life in the Special Care Unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and was hospitalized a number of times before his first birthday.
But in 2010 Watlington locals rallied behind the family and raised £4,500 to buy the toddler a custom-made bed, holding a variety of events including a cake sale and face painting. And they are back in campaigning mode once more, and have set themselves the goal of collecting £18,000 for a specialized wheelchair.
Mum Caroline Baker, 42, said: “The chair will give him the independence that he so desperately wants. He wants to go where he wants to go and not just where we want him to go. We want his future to be as normal as possible. Mentally he is just the same as all the other children.”
Elliott attends the mainstream Watlington Pre-School, in Shirburn Street, despite having difficulties writing and communicating. He still has trouble walking unaided and needs weekly therapy sessions in Oxford. While the school had a full-time teaching assistant, Caroline said the chair is essential for his mobility and friends and local mums are determined to raise the cash to buy one.
Elliott also recently fell and cut his head, and Caroline said the state-of-the-art chair will give her peace of mind. “He is a very determined little boy. He just loves everybody and wants to be involved in everything,” she said.
This autumn there will be another cake sale, a race night and fundraising at the primary school barbecue. One local dad, John Reed, will be running the Zermatt Marathon in Switzerland in aid of Elliott, while campaigners are also to hold a music night.
“It has been a very tough journey, but our plan has always been to allow him to lead as normal a life as possible and we strive to give him as much independence as we can,” said Caroline. “The support from people around us has been overwhelming and knowing that people care enough to help is a great comfort to us.”
Campaigners are appealing to Oxfordshire residents to help raise the cash, or donate products or services for an auction and raffle. To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/Elliott-to-go. For more information, call 01491 614240 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
