Thanks to CHIPS Charity and the joint fundraising efforts of customers and staff at Cashino Merry Hill in Brierley Hill, 17-year-old Bradley Foster has been presented with a brand new powered wheelchair, which will help increase his independence and ability to interact with friends.
Cashino, which operates 160 adult gaming centres across the country, is one of the main fundraisers for CHIPS, a charity set up on behalf of the casino and gaming industry, which provides specialised wheelchairs for children with severe mobility problems.
Bradley, who lives in Streetly, Birmingham with his parents, Michelle and David, and younger brother and sister, suffers from a rare combination of Down’s Syndrome and Spinal Muscular Atrophy – meaning he requires help to sit, is unable to stand and requires chest care due to the muscle-wasting nature of the condition.
Bradley’s mum, Michelle, said: “Due to his condition, Bradley has extremely limited mobility, meaning he currently has very little independence. Although we previously felt he may not be able to manage a powered wheelchair, as he has gotten older it’s clear that it would drastically improve his quality of life, give him the independence he is craving, and allow him to interact more with friends and peers. We’re so thankful to Cashino and CHIPS for this wheelchair.”
Cashino Merry Hill venue manager, Lilian, said: “It’s such a proud moment to know that our fundraising efforts are going to make such a huge difference to Bradley and his family’s life. He’s such a lovely, friendly and intelligent boy who thoroughly deserves this powered wheelchair.”
One of the co-founders of CHIPS charity, Linda Lindsay said: “It is so important for CHIPS that our donors see the results of their hard work, and we try to ensure that all the recipients are local to where the funds have been raised. Cashino and parent company Praesepe have been amazing, and have donated £1.2 million allowing CHIPS to provide more than 150 wheelchairs up and down the country.”
In total CHIPS has raised more than £2.2 million to date and presented over 520 wheelchairs to children throughout the UK.
