in-cumbria

Millom girl Natasha’s campaign is off to flying start

Last updated at 16:45, Tuesday, 26 February 2013

THE kind-hearted people of Millom turned out in force to ensure a disabled youngster’s fundraising campaign got off to a great start.

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More than £400 was raised for two-year-old Natasha Penrith’s Natasha’s Wishes campaign at a charity stork sale.

Natasha has cerebral palsy and cannot walk or stand up unaided.

Her parents, Lisa and Jacob Penrith, of Grammerscroft, Millom, created the Natasha’s Wishes campaign as a way of raising money for a safe outdoor play area for the youngster.

As well as the play area, the family were also raising money for special sensory equipment which Natasha could use at home.

Aside from the money raised at the stork sale, which was held at Millom Guide Hall, on Sunday, more than half of the items on her wish list have already been checked off.

Donald Fye, of Fye’s Executive Travel, in Cleator, bought a range of toys, including an activity bench, for Natasha.

Mrs Penrith said: “It was absolutely amazing. The man had never even met us before.

“When he was bringing all the equipment off the bus I started welling up.”

Meanwhile, Millom Carnival Committee has pledged hundreds of pounds of funding to provide further sensory equipment.

Mrs Penrith was overwhelmed with the support that the family has received for her daughter’s on-going campaign.

She said: “I thought the amount we raised was good for just a couple of hours.

“There is seemingly nothing the people of Millom won’t do to try and help.

“Everyone has been so nice. We put Natasha in a nice dress for the event and everyone fell in love with her.

“She could melt even the hardest of hearts with her cheeky smile.

“She was enjoying looking at all the different stalls and people.

“We’d just like to really thank the people of Millom, because without their help we wouldn’t have been able to do any of it.”

Mrs Penrith said the money raised on the day will go towards the £3,000 outdoor play area project.

The South Copeland Disability Group has also put in a funding application at the Sellafield Snowball charity, in order to purchase a special trike for Natasha that would allow her to play out with her friends.

First published at 16:24, Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk