A regional branch of one of the UK’s most famous charities and one of the oldest established local cycle shops have joined forces to make a real difference to a very special little girl’s life.
Nine year old Chloe Biggins suffers from Microcephaly, Hypotonia – also known as low muscle tone, Global Development Delay (GDD) and Dyspraxia, a combination of disorders which has resulted in delayed gross motor skills, delayed speech, poor body and spatial awareness and severe lack of coordination; problems which make everyday physical activities a struggle. Chloe’s family are keen cyclists and eager to share their passion with Chloe and her little brother; Jack, but given Chloe’s inevitable balance and stability restrictions, taking her along with them presented very specific challenges. A conventional bicycle was clearly out of the question. Research revealed that the solution lay in a specialist piece of equipment; the Piggy Back MK11 bike attachment which would allow her to travel safely, fully supported, at the back of her parents’ cycle. Now the only obstacle to getting Chloe out and about and enjoying the ride was the substantial cost of £480.
Chloe Biggins & Joe Waugh
On hearing of their plight, the North East branch of the well known children’s charity, the Variety Club, stepped in to help the family give Chloe the freedom of the open road by meeting the purchase price of the Piggy Back. Generous local supplier M. Steel Cycles, the longest established cycle shop in Gosforth, devoted their time to assist in sourcing and acquiring the Piggy Back and then supplied an unexpected bonus; charging the charity just £150, instead of the full cost and donating the rest of the money themselves.
Bob Gladwin, chairman of the Variety Club for the Northern region, said;
“This single item will change Chloe’s life completely, allowing her to spend more quality time with her family and share in their favourite outdoor activity. We are grateful to Joe Waugh and the M. Steel Cycles team for their help in sourcing the item, ensuring it was the right model for Chloe, and of course for their extremely kind gesture in providing a substantial discount, which will allow us to stretch our funds a little further and help even more disabled and disadvantaged children here in the local area.”
Joe Waugh, owner of M. Steels, commented:
“It was a pleasure to contribute even in a small way to helping this beautiful little girl enjoy the hobby that everyone at M. Steels is so enthusiastic about. We are all aware of the incredibly valuable work the Variety Club carries out right here in our region and this was an obvious way to show our support. I know Chloe will love being able to ride along the rest of her family and everyone on the team is just delighted they could be part of making that possible for her.”
Joe Waugh took care of delivering the precious item to the family personally. Now that Chloe has her Piggy Back, the specially designed support keeps her secure and comfortable and ensures that her journey stays smooth even on the longest rides. The Piggy Back is also helping Chloe with her balance and co-ordination, something that she currently struggles with. Plans are already afoot for long trips out in the New Year, and the whole family are looking forward to spending long hours together indulging in their favourite hobby together.
The Northern Branch of the Variety club is based in Newcastle upon Tyne and responsible for a wide area from the borders of Scotland, across to Cumbria and down past Teesside. To find out more about the charity’s valuable work locally and nationwide, visit www.varietyclubnorth.org.uk or www.varietyclub.org.uk. Joe’s store M. Steel Cycles caters to cyclists at all levels, from amateur to professional, and the team are always happy to offer advice on all cycling-related subjects. Customers can call into the shop, telephone 0191 285 1251 or visit online at www.msteelcycles.co.uk.