News
Ten-year-old boy organises sponsored ‘between the piers’ walk
12 May 2023
A ten-year-old boy from Clacton is taking on a sponsored walk from Clacton to Walton Pier on May 20 to raise funds for his teacher’s five-year-old niece.
Kaiden Bailey-Heap, 10 from Clacton, has enrolled around 20 friends and family to walk from Clacton to Walton Pier and back on May 20, starting at 10am.
Mum Nicola Heap, 40, a retail worker who lives in Clacton with her partner Christopher Bailey, 39, also a retail worker, and son Callum, 17, said:
‘We are immensely proud of Kaiden – he was determined to organise this walk by himself and help raise money for his teacher’s niece. He’s aware of her through other fundraisers which have happened at the school, and he wanted to do more.’
Kaiden's mum
Kaiden has almost already almost reached his target of raising £500.
Grace Beverton, 5, start having severe seizures in 2018 aged five and a half months. Following several frightening hospital admissions and a barrage of tests, she was finally diagnosed with a mutation of the gene RHOBTB2 (x.1448G>A) following consultation with a genetics specialist at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Her family and supporters fundraise constantly to fund therapies and equipment which are not available on the NHS. Grace cannot walk or talk, and as there are so few cases like Grace’s it is difficult to know how she will develop.
The current aim is to find specialised and intensive physiotherapy sessions to help Grace sit unaided. Longer term goals might include milestones such as bearing weight on her legs or even standing and walking. There is also likely to be specialised equipment needed, as well as possible adaptations to the family home.
Grace’s family is being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope which helps families fundraise for children like Grace with healthcare needs and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, corporate support while also providing donor reassurance.
Tree of Hope CEO Gill Gibb said: ‘We’re really pleased to hear that Grace’s family has so much support and wish Kaiden all the best with his challenge.’
To sponsor Kaiden or to donate to Grace’s fund, visit https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/grace-beverton or bit.ly/3lQwm4d
