Kentish Express Ashford & District
Pub raises money to help six-year-old
A pub raised more than £5,000 in one day for a boy with cerebral palsy.
The William Harvey in Church Road, Willesborough, hosted a charity fun day last month in support of Theo Foss.
The six-year-old, who lives in Dover, will have life-changing selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London at the end of the year, enabling him to walk for the first time.
But his aftercare and rehabilitation, costing £30,000, won’t be covered by the NHS and a JustGiving page has been set up to pay for it.
He was introduced to the pub by a regular, who’d met him at work in Sports Direct.
William Harvey landlady Colleen Chapman explained: “He brought him down to the pub and we all just fell in love.
“We said we were going to help him raise money, and my son - who owns a boxing gym in Ashford - raised £1,800.”
Offering stalls, a raffle, stocks and charity haircuts, the day saw a total of £5,442 raised for Theo.
Jack Way had his hair, beard and eyebrows shaved, raising £600, and Trevor Head got a similar treatment to bring in a further £1,000.
Two collection boxes were filled with about £300 each, only adding to the total.
Ms Chapman and partner Antonio also added £1,000 themselves.
She thanked everyone who came, heaping praise on helpers Andy St Pierre, Jim and Kelly Knight as well as Charlie Smith.
■ For more information on Theo’s fundraising campaign, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/freedomfortheo