The value of district charity We Love Lichfield to our young people was displayed at its summer giveaway at The George Hotel last Friday (June 27) with Arthur Price CEO hosting the event as patron of the Fund
Paralympic hopeful Chelsey Dixon was presented with £1,000 to help her buy a training boat. The 22-year-old is one of Britain’s best para-canoeists and has been selected for the Team GB squad and aims to represent her country in next year’s Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Chelsey told fellow recipients, guests and patrons of We Love Lichfield of her terminal cancer diagnosis at the age of 14, how a massive tumour had to be removed from her right thigh, further tumours had to be removed from her brain and lungs and how she was told her dreams of a sporting career were over.
But she went on to explain how the chemotherapy she received was successful and she was able to become active again, eventually trying different sports before settling on canoeing. Chelsey, who had previously played football for West Bromwich Albion, found a sport that she loved and began competing. She only took up canoeing two and-a-half years ago yet, following her international debut last August at the ICF Sprint Canoe World Championships in Portugal, she is now the ninth fastest women in the world in her event. Chelsey thanked the We Love Lichfield Fund for the donation which will be vitally important to her training.
Other impressive young people attended the event including The Friary High School’s head boy Niall Preston and head girl Hattie Rumsey. They presented £1,000 to We Love Lichfield, money which the school raised through a variety of events including non-uniform days.
We Love Lichfield patron Simon Price paid tribute to Chelsey and thanked Niall and Hattie for the Friary School’s donation. Simon also thanked all of the volunteers throughout the Lichfield district who enable our community to function.
Last Friday’s presentation saw thousands of pounds given to good causes. They are Beacon Park Tennis, Buddy Bag Foundation, Burntwood Pathway Project, Burntwood Town Council, Gartmore Riding For The Disabled Association Group, Guitar Group 1 – Lichfield U3A (AKA – Don’t Fret), Kendall & Wall Charitable Trust, Lichfield Arts, Lichfield Cruising Club2000 Ltd, Lichfield Greenhill Bower C.I.C, Lichfield Society of Artists, Open Door of Hope, The Boys’ Brigade 1st Chasetown, The Lichfield and District Live at Home Scheme, The Lichfield and District Live at Home Scheme and Wildfire Folk.
Simon Price also wished to thank The George Hotel for hosting the presentation and for offering everyone ice cream refreshment. Thanks also to Andy Lightbown at David Lloyd Lichfield for the club’s contribution to the goodie bags.
For more information about We Love Lichfield visit www.welovelichfield.com