February 2025 Newsletter - Flipbook - Page 10
Thomas’
Garden
Project
Total Raised
£11,209.36
Thomas
Living in Whitstable, Kent with his mum Caroline, Dad
Stephen and younger sister Emily, 17-year-old Thomas
loves to be busy. Despite being a full time wheelchair
user he loves all manner of physical activities from
trampolining to swimming but his favourite pastime of
all is to be out and about in nature.
Thomas has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, which affects
all his limbs, he is non-verbal and has a blended
smooth food oral diet. Thomas’ condition means he
encounters many challenges on a daily basis, as do
his family, but one of the biggest issues is 昀椀nding
accessible places for the family as a whole to visit.
Caroline explained “We have a teenage daughter, and
when the children were younger, it was much easier.
Thomas’ wheelchair was lighter and you could adapt
routes and activities more simply. Now he is older, this
becomes more of an obstacle, and we need to often
do things separately (we call it ‘tag’ parenting) so my
10
of
£10,000
At the age of 17, Thomas’
mum Caroline knew
that her fundraising
campaign would need to
be completed by his 18th
birthday. Following a hugely
successful and quick
fundraising campaign,
Thomas’ new garden will
now be ready to enjoy
in time for the warmer
weather, as a place of
solace as he enters his
early adult years! Read
on to 昀椀nd out how the
Mumfords raised over
£10,000 in just a few
short months!
daughter doesn’t miss out. This is dif昀椀cult to deal with,
but we have come to terms with this adjustment.”
The family moved home during lockdown to one with
more accessible living space. They were lucky to 昀椀nd a
chalet bungalow that needed internal recon昀椀guring to
suit their needs, and a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)
assisted them in completing the work for Thomas’