Shropshire lad Jake is a free-wheeler with new trike
Little Jake Mountford is now racing around on his specialised trike thanks to businesses from a market town.
Five-year-old Jake, from Eardington, has Angelman syndrome, severe learning difficulties, is very hyper active, and has epilepsy.
As a result Jake cannot talk and his balance is not very good, so his family wanted to raise enough money for a special trike for Jake to become more independent and join his family on bike rides.
Angelman syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the nervous system and causes severe physical and intellectual disability. Anyone with the illness will have a near-normal life expectancy, but often need looking after for the rest of their life.
Jake’s mother, Karen Mountford, 39, held a raffle earlier this year and a number of Bridgnorth businesses donated prizes towards the fund.
Karen said that the family had been overwhelmed by the support from all over the area, and that Jake had already been able to join the family on a ride over the Bank Holiday, after receiving his trike on Saturday.
She said: “It has been really good, he loves it, as soon as he sees it he wants to go on it, he’s really really happy.”
The family managed to raise just over the £3,000 needed for the trike thanks to donations from the public and Karen said they were grateful to everyone who had been so generous.
Karen added: “After Jake’s story went in the paper we had donations from all over, places like Oakengates that is nowhere near us, I had lots of ladies ringing me saying they would like to help.”
