W3218

Page 1

ORMSKIRK & WEST LANCASHIRE

Elm House Residential Care Home

N OP OW EN

SEE OUR MAIN ADVERT INSIDE C A R E

8 August 2018

Vol 25 l Issue 32

www.champnews.com

H O M E

01695 213110

Home, 24 Lime Grove, enquiries@elmhousecaregroup.co.uk www.elmcaregroup.co.uk Skelmersdale WN8 8ET

LIONS HELP GIVE VAL NEW LEASE OF LIFE

INSIDE THIS WEEK...

Community group’s biggest-ever fundraising campaign hits £15,000 target to buy specially-adapted wheelchair vidual gifts and “significant” donations by Southport Lions Club and the West Lancs Association of Freemasons. And after being given full training, Val gave a demonstration of her new wheelchair ’s capabilities for members of the groups that helped to raise the funds. John Tamlin added: “It was amazing to see the joy in Val’s face as she showed the machine’s capability, She also offered her heartfelt thanks to everyone involved with the project. She can’t believe the difference it has already made to her life.” A grateful Val posted on a community website: “My grandchildren now say they have a Transformer for a nana. Just looking at their faces when I stood for the first time brought tears to my eyes as they have never known me standing.”

Report by Kenny Parker

A WOMAN who has been paralysed from the waist down for five years is now enjoying a new lease of life - thanks to a specially-adapted wheelchair bought for her following a community fundraising campaign. Val Thompson was previously featured in the Champion when she successfully contested a decision to withdraw her funded care package. The 62-year-old from Newburgh had broken her spine following a fall downstairs in 2013 leaving her unable to stand, wheelchair-bound and with weakness in the upper body. Now though, thanks to her new wheelchair, she can stand and talk to people face-to-face, as well as performing simple everyday tasks that most people take for granted, like operating light switches! And her grandchildren have affectionately named her ‘Transformer nan’ after the robot movie-inspired toys! Fundraising for the £15,000 to buy the special wheelchair was co-ordinated by the Douglas Valley Lions Club, which covers the Lathom and Newburgh area, after they were approached by one of Val’s carers. Her medical support team had advised that Val would benefit greatly from having a chair that could lift her into a standing position. Benefits Other benefits include a reduction in pressure sores and improved heart and body functions, muscle tone and joint capability, as well as a boost to self-esteem. John Tamlin who led the project for Douglas Valley Lions Club, said: “Val had tried out a similar wheelchair at Southport Hospital and had experienced the benefits but of course the cost of the machine was prohibitive and was not standard NHS issue. “When a request for help was brought to the Lions we looked into it and decided to raise the £15,000 needed to purchase the equipment. It was the largest single fundraising target we’d ever attempted so we didn’t know

Couple renew vows at festival

Grateful And she told the Champion: “The wheelchair has made a massive difference to my life. I am now able to carry out small tasks in the house like turning on lights, closing curtains or reaching things in the fridge for instance. “I have also been out on my own for the first time in five years and it felt wonderful! Having the standing facility has strengthened my legs already Val tries out her new wheelchair watched by Iain McNair of and they are feeling stronger day by Southport Lions, John Tamlin of Douglas Valley Lions and John day. Allwright of West Lancs Freemasons. “I will be forever grateful to the how long it would take. But we did know that we Lions, the Masons and all the kind donations made to wanted to raise the money quickly as the longer it took enable me to have this wonderful wheelchair. And I the longer Val would have to remain in her normal must say a personal thank-you to John Tamlin from the wheelchair.” Douglas Valley Lions who worked endlessly to make this John says the response was “amazing” and the target happen for me. He has been such a support to both was speedily achieved through various events including myself and my husband John.” a sportsman’s dinner, race night, crowdfunding, indi-

Portico Day Nurseries

CLAIM YOUR 15 & 30 HOURS Portico St John’s Portico Kindergarten Portico West End A WEEK Skelmersdale Aughton Ormskirk FUNDED PLACES HERE* t: 01695 555503 t: 01695 422319 t: 01695 571757

NEW funding packages available

Teenagers’ Lourdes pilgrimage CROSSWORD See Page 32

Places just released for September 2018!

*subject to availability & eligibility

THE UK’S LARGEST LETTERBOX CIRCULATION BY AN INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER! 164,303

CHAMPION SERIES

JAN-DEC 2017 100% FREE


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.