The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding and South Holland residents have given ten-year-old Alice Bates the perfect gift this Christmas – a pain easing bath.
Thanks to your generosity the £6,000 needed to provide a bath for the Long Sutton youngster was raised in just a matter of days.
Alice experiences daily pains, particularly at night, as a result of her quadriplegic cerebral palsy and epilepsy caused by her suffering a brain haemorrhage shortly after she was born.
Experts say the bath will provide respite from those pains.
Now mum Charlotte is looking forward to having the bath installed by the end of January.
When asked if she’s looking forward to her first bath, Alice said: “Yeah. I can’t wait to play and let them try and find me in the bubbles.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Charlotte said: “Every time Alice has a shower now she’s asking ‘is this my last shower?’
“I just have to say there’s only a few more to go. She can’t wait.”
Among those to donate were Spalding based energy company Welland Power Limited.
Workers at the firm have been putting money into a tuck shop for the past year.
When managing director Charlie Farrow saw The Voice’s article he decided to top up the collection and donate £1,000.
Charlie brought Alice bubble bath when visiting the family home on Tuesday, December 12 as well as presents for her sisters Abigail and Emily who are to share a room so Alice can have a bathroom next door to her room.
He said: “I will be telling everyone at work how lovely a girl Alice is and I’m so pleased we did it.
“It’s going to make a difference for the family not just for a couple of years, but for 20 years to come.”
Charlie spoke to Matthew Burchnall of the Spalding Round Table and they pledged to donate the amount left needed, which at the time on Thursday was £1,200.
The funds were raised at the Table’s annual boxing match earlier this year.
Matthew said: “It’s obviously a very good cause. Alice is a lovely girl, bubbly and happy.”
More than £7,000 has been pledged so far with the extra money set to help with the plumbing costs which the Bates’ were originally going to fund themselves.
The bath itself will raise up around Alice and provide whoever is supervising her access all the way around.
That will be particularly helpful to Charlotte who is currently suffering with a slipped disc.
The bath will also empty at the push of a button which could be a life saver for Alice if she suffers any problems while in it.
Charlotte said: “I’m really, really grateful. Thank you to anybody that’s donated and been involved.
“I spoke to the plumber this week and I told him we were in no rush, then I saw the total and had to ring him back saying ‘actually can you come round soon?’
“Alice only knows kindness which is wonderful at her age.
“It’s hard for me and the family to express how thankful we are.
“We don’t like to be in a position where we can’t provide something for Alice. No parents wants to have to ask for something they can’t provide themselves.
“But through all things like this we’ve met the most wonderful people including Matthew and Charlie. It takes something very negative and makes it a positive.
“Alice turns 11 in February and I’ve told her that by her birthday she’s going to be having regular baths.
“I doubt anybody’s going to have to ask her what she wants as it’s going to be all towels and bubble bath.”
