AN inspirational woman is getting muddy to raise money and awareness for a disability home in Redditch, writes Rhys Goodfellow.
Claire Snead, aged 51, is taking part in the Devil Mud Run in Cheltenham on March 3, to raise funds for a new minibus at Saltways Disability Home in Redditch.
The mud run includes a nine kilometre run up hilly conditions, with 35 obstacles along the way, including a two tonne ice dip, a mud crawl and negotiating \a course of old tyres.
The Leonard Cheshire home is just one of 100 in the UK and helps people of all ages with a range of problems, from learning difficulties to long term brain injuries.
The Redditch Saltways needs another minibus to complement the one they have now, to get patients out and about when the other is in use.
Claire’s daughter, Ellen, aged 19, recently moved to Saltways after she found no other local home that would accept her.
Ellen suffers from a degenerative muscle wasting disease, and needs a lot of equipment including a ventilator, tracheotomy and suction machine, regular oxygen and a feeding tube.
Claire first raised her fundraising drive on BBC Hereford and Worcester Radio, raising awareness for the cause and also appealing for people to donate.
“It’s been a real personal struggle to find somewhere that will accept Ellen due to all of the equipment she needs,” said Claire, who lives in Hereford.
“Saltways took her and have been amazing, but when Ellen has to travel to Stoke-on-Trent for her treatment, there are no minibuses for others at the home.
“Every little helps and if a lot of people donate just a little bit of money, then it can make all the difference and change many people’s lives.”
Claire has raised £410 so far, and with £80 to £90 in pledges to come, hopes to top the £500 mark before her mud run.
To help Saltways and Claire raise the money, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/claire-snead to donate.
