Yatton Keynell toddler helped by sensory toys (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Yatton Keynell toddler helped by sensory toys

11:48am Friday 3rd July 2009

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Disabled toddler Ellen Woodhead is over the moon with the new sensory toys her pre-school has been given.

Two-year-old Ellen, from Yatton Keynell, suffers from cerebral palsy and as a result has very limited eyesight but the new set of light, sound and smell balls will help her dramatically.

The toys, which cost £600, were bought after manager of the toddlers group Julia Maddocks applied to the local Heart radio station for help.

She said: “Ellen suffers from cerebral palsy and has quite limited eyesight so we wanted something that she could use but also the other 40 children could enjoy as well.

“We could not have afforded the equipment on our own as we are just a rural pre-school so the money from Heart was the boost we needed.

“Ellen loves the new toys and there are so many different balls for her to chose from - ones that smell of fruits, ones that light up and others that are made from different materials.

“I honestly think this is going to be a tremendous help for her.”

Ellen’s family are thrilled with the new toys and say they help her integrate more easily with the other children.

Her mum Nikki said: “The toys are great because the other children can use them as well so they are all playing together.

“Because the toys are sensory they also become much more interesting to Ellen.

“She loves going to the pre-school and gets excited every time she goes.

“I think the toys are wonderful and I would like to thank the pre-school.”

Each year Heart fm give away £100,000 to local charities and groups around Wiltshire and the money can only be given away after the case for the donation is approved by a panel.

Regional fundraising manager at Heart Caroline Langmaid said: “It was a unanimous decision by the panel to help out Ellen as her story really touched the hearts of the panelists.

“The group were not able to raise enough money to buy this equipment themselves and we wanted to reach out into these rural areas were these amazing groups are working.”

The Yatton Keynell Under 5s pre-school meets at the village hall and also runs toddler sessions every Tuesday afternoon.

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