A BASINGSTOKE charity has donated more than £1,000 towards buying a special red trike for a ‘determined’ four-year-old.

Oliver was born 10 weeks early with hydrocephalus, two types of spina bifida, fixed talipes (also known as ‘club feet’) and numerous other conditions.

He is paralysed from waist down, and has had in excess of 20 operations with, sadly, more to come.

But it’s not stopped the cheerful young boy from embracing life, and he is desperate to join his peers in riding a bright red bike.

Unfortunately, the specialised trike he needs cost around £2,000 and so his family set up a fundraising appeal to raise the money.

Now, after seeing the Gazette’s report, a Winklebury-based charity has agreed to pay £1,100 towards the cost.

Charlene Duplock, founder of Forever Smiling, said: “Our charity is all about putting smiles on faces, and we wanted to help do that for this family.”

The family-run organisation is run in memory of Charlene’s brother, Daniel Rolfe, who had severe learning disabilities, ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome, Epilepsy, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and many other physical health issues.

Daniel sadly passed away in March 2017, at the age of 21, and his sister and parents have continued the work he began through Forever Smiling.

Speaking of the moment she told Oliver’s family about their donation, Charlene, 34, added: “You could hear [the gratitude] in their voices and, although we couldn’t see them, you can tell when someone smiles.

“It was just a lovely feeling, that Daniel’s charity has put a smile on another child’s face because my brother was always smiling, right up until we sadly had to turn the life support off.”

Basingstoke Gazette: Forever Smiling is a family-run charity in memory of Daniel Rolfe [L-R: Charlene Duplock (sister), Daniel Rolfe, Jeanette Rolfe (mum) & Stuart Rolfe (dad)]Forever Smiling is a family-run charity in memory of Daniel Rolfe [L-R: Charlene Duplock (sister), Daniel Rolfe, Jeanette Rolfe (mum) & Stuart Rolfe (dad)]

Forever Smiling is currently getting support from Basingstoke Voluntary Action to become a registered charity, and is looking forward to restarting its car boot sales at the Sycamore Halls Community Centre when restrictions allow.

They are also hosting a free family fund day for children with special needs or disabilities and their families at 4 Kingdoms Adventure Park on September 4, which the Mayor of Basingstoke will attend.

Posting on the family’s fundraising page, Oliver’s mum, Pamela Curson said a “huge thank you” to the charity for their “kind and generous” donation.

For more information about Forever Smiling, visit: https://foreversmilinguk.co.uk/

Or to donate to Oliver’s trike fund, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/help-oliver-to-ride-his-red-trike