Hoisting Bobath charity upwards

Western Power Distribution (WPD) has givena donation to Cardiff based charity Bobath Wales, a therapy centre for children with cerebral palsy.

WPD's Jason Whitehead (Planner) and Helen Cooney (Team Support) are pictured with Bobath's Physiotherapist Stuart Doyle, and Poppy - who shows how the hoist is used.

With over 23 years of experience, Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales was started by families for families. They provide therapy with Bobath trained physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists working together to look at the individual needs of each child.

One of the aims of Bobath therapy is to train the parents in therapy techniques that they can build into their everyday routine so, in a way, the child can be having therapy every day. Therapists can review the child’s progress and development, as well as their current therapy programme, and reassess the child’s and family’s needs.

They provide children, from birth to 18, who have the condition with specialist therapy with the aim of improving their quality of life through increased function and wellbeing.

The cash donation has enabled the charity to purchase a ceiling track hoist that will aid in lifting children out of their wheelchairs and safely into position for therapy.

It also has the facility to aid children with their walking, enabling them to safely take weight through their limbs which has many benefits, including mobilising of tight muscles and aiding circulation and respiration.

Head of Fundraising for Bobath, Gail Griffiths says: “We are extremely grateful to WPD for their generous donation. The hoist has made a huge difference to the comfort and safety of the children.”

12 year-old Poppy from Crickhowell (pictured) has cerebral palsy and since the age of two has been receiving treatment from Bobath, and was one the first children to benefit from using the hoist.

Poppy also fundraises for the centre by collecting used printer cartridges and mobile phones from the general public which are then exchanged for cash - her way of giving something back to a place that she loves so much.

To find out more, please visit: www.bobathwales.org