Children in Need donations help Bluebirds offer wheelchair club

DISABLED teenager Lucy is among a host of young people being helping by Cardiff City Football Club, thanks to money raised from Children in Need.

The BBC has announced it raised a record-breaking £60m from its annual event in 2016, with £67,000 going to Cardiff City FC Community and Education Foundation.

Football fan Lucy, 14, has attended the foundation for the last four years, after her condition originally meant she was left on the sidelines.

Lucy suffers from a rare mitochondrial disease and was diagnosed at five years old after losing control of some of her muscles.

The teenager, who is wheelchair bound, suffers from speech impairment and limited control of her arms.

Through Cardiff City FC’s Sport 4 All project, Lucy is now able to take part in sports classes through their wheelchair football club.

Since she became a regular at the club, her parents said she has seen a massive growth in confidence.

Lucy’s dad, Kevin, said: “The wheelchair football has made a big difference to Lucy’s self-esteem, it feels like we, as parents, just have less to worry about now.

“Wheelchair Football has become quite special to her; she’ll often build her week around the wheelchair football club, write stories about it at school, and talks about it often.

“The club provides an outlet for her passion for sport in a way which is accessible to her, despite the challenges of her condition.

“Her confidence has really thrived – she’s always socialising and making friends and her wheelchair skills have really improved.”

Now in high school, Lucy has gained enough independence to travel to school on her own.

She has also given presentations to her class about the club and uses PE lessons to practise her skills.

Josh Law, project worker at Cardiff City FC Foundation, said: “Lucy was one of the first new recruits when I started working with the Sport 4 All project over four years ago.

“I’ve seen a huge difference in her since then, she has become a very bubbly and confident young lady. In addition, I have also seen her footballing skills increase enormously.

“The sessions offer a fantastic opportunity for players of all abilities to improve their physical skills and health. More importantly, however, they offer disabled children and young people the opportunity to socialise, make friends and increase their social networks.”

The Cardiff City FC Community and Education Foundation will receive a three-year grant of £67,000 from BBC’s Children in Need, along with 23 other projects in Cardiff.

A total of £1.3m will be used in the city to help children facing challenges including poverty, neglect, trauma and disability.