WHEN HARRY MET TOMMY

AN 11-YEAR-OLD golf fan who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy when he was just five has met his golfing idol Tommy Fleetwood.

Harry Halpin,who also loves football, met the European Tour and Ryder Cup star at Formby Hall recently.

When the world number 24 heard about the young Manchester City supporter’s condition, he was keen to meet up with him while he was hosting a junior event at his academy.

Harry thought his mum and dad where just taking him to watch the juniors, not knowing Tommy would be there.He was over the moon to meet his golfing hero.

Harry’s medical condition is muscle wasting.He has restricted ability to walk. His medical condition, of which there is no cure, will only get worse. Harry will start to lose upper body movement to his arm functions and breathing will become a major concern.

He currently has the use of a hand pushed wheelchair. He relies heavily on his parents to push him around, both in their home and outside and to school. Harry would love to have his own independence.

Parents, Rachel and Gareth, along with Harry’s young sister Grace,have for the last five years, relentlessly been fund raising to adapt their home so Harry is independent as possible to manoeuvre around in his hand pushed wheelchair.

They are currently raising funds to purchase a power assisted wheelchair that costs more than £9,000.Plus raising funds to provide ramp access points in the back garden so Harry can be outside in the fresh air, without the need for his parents to push him in his current wheelchair. Their local authority, although they have carried out some adaptations to their home, will only give a small financial help for the ramps to the rear garden but no contribution towards the motorised wheelchair.

Harry is trying to be as independent as possible now he is attending high school. At home he is restricted to rely- ing on his parents or younger sister to wheel him in and out of the garden.The power assisted wheelchair will make life much easier for Harry and give him some independence, especially when he is manoeuvring himself around the cor-

Dan’s the man

BRAMHALL Golf Club’s Dan Hayes has become the youngest-ever Cheshire Boys captain this year. As Cheshire Boys champion, the 16-year-old plus five handicapper, has already represented England at the Italian U16s Championship and in the County Champion of Champions final at Woodhall Spa, where he finished ninth.

He also won a place in the Justin Rose Daily Telegraph Junior Golf Championships at Quinta do Lago which had an original entry of 17,000 in the qualifying events. As well as being the Cheshire Boys champion, Dan was the first winner of the new Cheshire trophy as Cheshire Boys Golfer of the Year. He said:“I would like to thank all at the golf club, my family, Cheshire County and my coach Richard Green for their great support and encouragement.” ridors of his high school.

To help Harry and his parents raise the necessary funds to purchase the power assisted wheelchair and ramps, you can donate online at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rachel-halpin-1

New Cheshire boys captain Dan Hayes.