Yorkshire family calls for donations to Newlife children's disability charity after it helped their daughter

Scarlett Barrass’ family has backed disabled children's charity Newlife's the Big Give Christmas Challenge appeal, which will see donations from the public match-funded and doubled between December 1 and 8.

It comes after Newlife provided Scarlett with the emergency loan of a specialist buggy to keep her safe after she was not supported enough to sit up properly in her standard pushchair.

The two-year-old contracted a virus while in the womb and was born with Cerebral Palsy, a smaller sized head, hearing loss, and delays in her development.

At 22-months-old, Scarlett is unable to sit up by herself or hold up her own head, suffers from daily seizures and has uncontrollable muscle spasms and stiff and tight muscles.

Her parents did everything they could to make the buggy suitable, and even tried to prop her up in her buggy with towels - but it was not enough support to hold her up properly as her seizures can happen randomly throughout the day.

Newlife provided little Scarlett with the Emergency Equipment Loan to keep her safe until the funding is available to provide a permanent buggy for her.

Now the family from Thorne, near Doncaster, is urging people to dig deep to change another child’s life this Christmas by backing the campaign.

Scarlett’s mother Alicia Bell said: “The specialist buggy from Newlife has made such a huge difference to our lives. She is so happy and comfortable in her buggy that I know I can take her out for longer and to more places for day trips.

“She has never been able to sleep before in a buggy as she would be so upset and uncomfortable, but now she falls asleep so easily when I walk around with her and can really relax. We’re so thankful to Newlife, I don’t know what we would have done without this emergency loan.

“The Big Give campaign is such a great opportunity to help other children like Scarlett get the equipment they so desperately need. Donations are worth double the amount you pledge so any contribution to Newlife’s fundraiser will make twice the impact when helping families in need.”

The charity particularly needs the public’s support after losing more than £3 million in income during the first lockdown – and was forced to cancel its Black Friday plans, which last year brought in £118,000 in a single day.

The fundraising campaign has a target of £6,000 and every penny will be match-funded by the non-profit organisation the Big Give, meaning that if the total is reached then Newlife could receive £12,000.

Newlife runs the UK’s only Emergency Equipment Loans Service, providing essential equipment to children in crisis anywhere in the UK in just 72 hours, such as those who just cannot wait for the equipment, are at risk of injury, or need the equipment to be discharged from hospital.

A total of £32,761 is currently needed in order provide equipment to 32 disabled children across Yorkshire and the Humber.

The charity is heavily reliant on its fleet of shops in order to support children in need but the second national lockdown has forced the charity to shut its stores until tomorrow.

Donations to the Big Give campaign will help provide essential equipment to disabled and terminally ill children who are in desperate need of support through Newlife’s Emergency Equipment Loan service.

It will help it deliver loan equipment within just 72 hours when there is urgent need as well as approve "fast-track" equipment grant applications within 24 hours when an emergency situation has been identified.

Sheila Brown OBE, co-founder and CEO of Newlife, said: “It’s been a really difficult six months for Newlife after the coronavirus forced us to shut all of our shops in March and again in October.

“We lost more than £3 million in income but our promise of supporting disabled children across the UK has not been compromised and we’ve been there for families when they need us most.

“A lot of the disabled children who need our help are at most risk of the effects of Covid-19 and right now they need us more than ever.

“Newlife wants to be there for future families who need specialist equipment and we can’t thank Scarlett and her family for backing our Big Give Christmas Challenge this year.

“It’s a fantastic way to make your donation have double the impact and we’re hoping our wonderful supporters will be able to dig deep this year.

“Regardless of the size of the donation, your generosity will be directly changing the lives of disabled children and their families across the UK who are in urgent need of our support.”

The charity has been providing grants and loans of equipment including specialist beds, seats, buggies and car seats to keep children safe and improve their quality of life for 30 years.

To make a donation to Newlife’s the Big Give fundraiser and double your donation from noon today to December 9, visit https://newlife.support/thebiggive or get updates on social media using @newlifestores.