Jessica finds freedom with new tricycle (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Jessica finds freedom with new tricycle

Seven-year-old Jessica Feltham, who has cerebral palsy, takes delivery of a special trike, watched by parents Charlotte and Howard, brother Oliver, fundraisers Hughen and Joyce Riley and Don Powley at the Silver Plough, Pitton on Saturday.LITTLE Jessica Feltham, who has cerebral palsy, has become the proud owner of a custom-built remote controlled trike - thanks to big-hearted fundraisers at the Silver Plough pub, Pitton.

The smiling seven-year-old was formally presented with the Tomcat trike by licensees Joyce and Hughen Riley in the pub gardens on Saturday.

Jessica, who has a twin sister, Alice, was accompanied at the presentation by brother Oliver (nine) and mum and dad Howard and Charlotte Feltham.

Mr Feltham said: "Jessica is delighted with the trike and we are so grateful to everyone at the Silver Plough.

"The trike will be a big help to her because she will be able to propel it.

"An adult will have control from behind but she will have to pedal it.

"So it will give her pleasure and therapy, as it will make her use her legs."

The family's home is at Upton Lovell, near Codford, but Mr Feltham used to live in Ford and the Silver Plough was one of his former haunts.

The trike cost £1,000 and all the money was raised by Joyce and Hughen and their staff and regulars on behalf of the children's charity Tender Loving Care, which strives to provide special equipment and toys for children with illnesses and handicaps.

Joyce got involved with the charity when she and Hughen, a former professional footballer who used to play midfield with Bournemouth, ran a pub in Ferndown.

"We raised money there for all sorts of equipment, from nebulisers to car seats, trikes and walking frames," said Joyce.

"Then, when we moved to the Silver Plough 14 months ago, we decided to get regulars here involved."

As a result, the Pitton pub is now the hub of the Wiltshire branch of Tender Loving Care.

Joyce, who is president of the new branch, said: "Raising the money for Jessica's trike is our first effort for the charity at the Silver Plough and we are now looking for the next child to support.

"If anyone has a child in need of equipment that is not provided by the NHS, they should approach us and we will see what we can do."

Tender Loving Care supports tiny tots to 16-year-olds.

Approaches for help locally should be made to Joyce, who can be contacted on 01980 712266