A CAMPAIGN has been launched to raise funds for a specially designed tricycle for an eight-year-old girl who suffers from Williams Syndrome.
Freya was four years old when she was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome, a rare disorder that causes learning difficulties, cognitive impairment and spatial awareness issues. Williams Syndrome has meant that Freya has found it impossible to ride conventional bicycles in the past.
The specially designed Tomcat ‘fizz trike’ comes with special gearing, pedals which hold the feet in position, a saddle and a parents bar with brake and gearing. The fizz trike is handmade by Gloucester-based company Tomcat Special Needs Innovations.
In a demonstration of the trike, Freya surprised her parents by peddling on her own, with assistance on the parent’s handle to steer. Freya’s excitement led her parents to start the fundraising campaign.
Freya’s father Ray said: “We had bought her a bike before and fitted it with stabilisers, but she couldn’t steer it or get the rotation right on the pedals. I made a bracket to act as a parent handle, but she hated it as she couldn’t steer, so we left it at that.
“But once she tried the Tomcat Fizz trike she was away.
“It will allow us all to get out more and the trike will last into Freya’s teenage years.”
Freya has been a regular rider at the Forest Riding for the Disabled (RDA) group at Severnvale Equestrian Centre in Tidenham for the last four years. She rides every Thursday with the group, who provide weekly horse and pony riding lessons for local disabled children and adults.
So far, the campaign has raised £605 of the £2,128 needed for the trike.
For more information, and to donate to the campaign, visit www.gofundme.com/2jsy2t3e