Archive - Wednesday, 14 May 2003


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Standard appeal hits £10,000 target

YOU"VE done it!

The Tom Tooley Appeal's target of £10,000 has been smashed as Standard readers continue to unite in their efforts to raise money.

In just over two months a total of £10,564 has been raised through donations and various fundraising events.

The target has been reached in the same week that Tom has left the London Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery to move to a hospital in Oxford.

Tom's Friends treasurer Rosa Feeney said: "We are actually very humbled, we're in awe of the generosity of the community.

"Everybody has been involved from children to business owners. "They just picked it up and went for it."

Tom Tooley, 16, suffered from a post-operative stroke after having surgery to remove a brain tumour last April.

He was left completely paralysed.

Since then he has regained some of his movement back but still cannot swallow and can only communicate by using a computer.

Mrs Feeney said: "The move has put him in very good spirits, he's closer to come home.

"The rehab centre will teach him how to get on with his life and in time he'll be able to start coming home for weekends.

"He was excited but also a little worried - after a year in hospital you can get a bit institutionalised."

With more events planned in the coming two months the Standard is now extending its target to reach £15,000 by the end of July.

Cirencester Town Juniors Football Club have donated £250. Norah Kennedy from Cirencester raised £50 at Barnsley Village Festival by selling some old baskets.

A dress down day at QA in Swindon raised £70.

And the Soroptimist International of Cirencester and District has donated £300.