Inspired by Sir Tom

Haiden Debley-Turner, who is nearly 11, was born with Spina bifida and underwent his first operation when he was just nine hours old – and he has had a great deal to contend with, and yet he wants to give to those less fortunate than himself.

He was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore and, although he knew it would be difficult, he was determined to walk 100 laps of the corridors of his school, Rye Primary. It has been very supportive and those around him have noticed how much Haiden has changed whilst doing this challenge. He is more positive and focussed and has raised over £1,077 for a local charity.

On Monday, May 17, he completed his last lap to the cheers of his class who lined the upper corridor (shown above) as he finished and you could see just how proud they were of him.

His support teacher, Laura McDonald, assistant SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) at Rye Primary, and Mrs Beeching, the main adult who works with Haiden in class supporting his personal needs, summed up the challenge:

Raising money for the homeless

“Haiden, inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, set himself this 100 lap challenge during the February lockdown as an added incentive for exercising with his walker, which takes a great deal of physical effort! Haiden knew at that point he wanted to raise money for the homeless but had not chosen a specific charity.

“When he was completing his early laps inside the warm school building, the snow was falling outside and he talked about homeless people he had seen in Hastings and how awful it must be for them in the winter. This made him choose local charity Warming Up the Homeless.

“We at Rye Community Primary School are overwhelmed by Haiden’s perseverance and ever-cheery nature during this challenge; the children love to wave to him and will ask which number he is on as he walks the corridors. He really is an inspiration to us all!”

Rye Primary’s headteacher, Miss Kelly Martin, said: “We are so incredibly proud of Haiden. He has demonstrated great resilience and perseverance, two of our school values. It’s a pleasure to support him and watch his journey.”

Helping him be more mobile

And now we need your help to raise more funds, this time to enable Haiden to live more independently. Imagine the world of a ten-year old confined for much of his life in a wheelchair. He watches his friends play in the park and wants to join in. He could take a much more active role from his wheelchair if he could afford to have a powered unit, Emulse F55 Swing Away model, which fits on the front of it. This would enable him to cope with uneven surfaces and move around more easily and independently.

He is going to walk further laps of his school’s corridors on a specially adapted walking frame to raise funds. Please help him raise the £3,000 that he needs by giving as much as you can afford… even small amounts will help. Be part of his journey and go to this link to make a difference.

Image Credits: k.t.bruce .