Give us one last push
5:53am Wednesday 26th March 2008
ONE final push is being made to complete a fund-raising drive on behalf of a local five-year-old.
The Bring Back Jake McClure appeal was launched exactly a year ago to find £20,000 for a life-changing trip to America for the autistic Morecambe boy.
His parents Roseanne and Martin have been overwhelmed by the response from Citizen readers - with more than £16,000 raised so far.
But now they are calling for people to get behind one final effort to reach the target of the campaign.
Martin is organising a 12-miles walk on Sunday, April 13, starting at the Regent Caravan Park at 10am, to mark the success of the past 12 months.
And the couple are also helping Focus DIY on Westgate - who were the first to back the appeal last year - to sell tickets for a raffle to mark the anniversary.
Tickets will be sold for a week from Monday, April 14.
Roseanne says: "This is the final push now. As we get closer to the target it has been more difficult because we have fewer and fewer people to approach for help.
"But we have met some really wonderful people during the last year and the response has been absolutely brilliant. I'm sure we will get there soon."
Roseanne adds that Jake is now making good progress as he follows the Son-Rise programme full time at home. Last Wednesday, for instance, he put his socks on by himself.
She says: "It's very exciting for us as a family as Jake has improved in so many ways. He has a long way to go and finds speech his biggest struggle, but we firmly believe his progress can only mean even greater improvement when we get to America."