Joshua smashes his target for operation

A CAMPAIGN to raise money for a Canonbie boy’s life-changing operation has smashed its target.

Joshua Graham, seven, a pupil at the village school, set out to raise £25,000 and the total so far is £29,689.

Joshua has cerebral palsy and the money will pay for him to have the operation at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool.

He lives with his parents, Michelle and Iain, and sister, Edith.

The online fundraising is through Just4Childen and the operation Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR)  will help with his independence and mobility.

Joshua has now completed the last mile of his walk/bike ride, just in time to relax over the weekend before returning to school on Monday, his first day back since before Christmas.

He decided he would walk using his Cavalier walking aid or cycle on his adapted trike for 18 miles.

That’s the distance from home to school and home again to raise money for his SDR Journey.

Michelle said: “He and his sister Edith, four, managed a mile each day, just along the road where they live. Tagging along was our dog Tess.

“They went out in all weathers: rain, snow and wind and it was very cold most of the time, even below zero on one day.

“They often wore fancy dress or parts of fancy dress which would fit over all the layers of clothing and coats, wearing masks and hats.”

To celebrate, the siblings drank some Irn Bru in champagne glasses at the end.

Joshua and Edith’s 18-month-old bullock, Ferdinand, was sold at Dumfries Auction Mart on Monday and the funds went to fund. It made £1,500.

There has also been an online truck and tractor show, organised by a friend, Heather Prentice of Sharp Transport.

People uploaded a photo of their truck or tractor and for a donation of £10, although many gave more.

It ran for just over a week and ended last Sunday. Joshua chose the first, second and third-placed trucks and tractors. It raised more than £1,030.

Iain, a time-served agricultural engineer, ran a raffle for a tractor engine service, including the labour and parts for the engine service.

Tickets were sold for £10 each and 79 were sold, raising £790.

The entrants’ names were all put in a hat and Joshua drew the winner who was Alan Spence.

Anyone, who would like to see video clips of Joshua and Edith on their walk or details of any fundraising, can follow Joshua’s SDR Journey on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JoshuasSDRJourney-100307202097044

To make a donation they can go to www.JustGiving.com/campaign/JoshuasSDRJourney

An online open dog show is running on Facebook.

It was organised by a friend Steph Pollock and there are classes for all: pedigree classes and fun classes.

People can upload photos of their dogs into the relevant class album and donate £2 for each photo.

Details on Joshua’s SDR Journey Facebook page.