A WESTBURY girl has had a garden makeover which will ‘change her whole life’, after charity WellChild built a new, safe place for her to play with her brothers.
Eight year old Josselin Tilley has CHARGE syndrome and is profoundly deaf and sight-impaired, so is often confined to a wheelchair, but the new volunteer-built garden will allow her to play outside safely.
Mum Karen said, “For Josselin it is so much more than just a garden. The WellChild garden is going to change her whole life because it’s the only outside place that she is able to get out of her wheelchair safely. In the past summer, Josselin and I had to stay indoors while her two brothers played outside in the garden, which then wasn’t suitable for Josselin.
“On the day the new garden was completed she wanted to go out and play with her brothers, and when we brought her in because it was getting dark she tapped on the window to tell us she wanted to go straight back out!
“This is something we could never have had time to complete ourselves, as a lot of our time is taken with day-to-day care needs and hospital appointments. We just can’t wait for next summer which is going to be fantastic for all of us, particularly Josselin.”
Through one of its Helping Hands projects, WellChild organised a team of volunteers from the Chartered Insurance Institute and insurance company Das, to build the garden and give Josselin a safe and stimulating place in which to play. The gravel was replaced with artificial flooring, a safe area was created outside the backdoor, and sensory play items and a raised gardening bed were added.
Helping Hands co-ordinator Lee Trunks said, “WellChild has undertaken hundreds of similar projects up and down the country, and it is wonderful privilege and pleasure to be involved in something that makes such a tremendous difference to the lives of families who have experienced real difficulties.”
Helping Hands seek help from organisations for their projects. If you think you could help with future projects, contact 0845 4588171 or email helping hands@wellchild.org.uk
WellChild is the national charity for seriously ill children and is committed to ensuring that every child in the UK, no matter what their situation, location or diagnosis, has the very best possible quality of care. Find out more at www.wellchild.org.uk.
