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 In the last of the current series from Community Channel and BBC, Sarah Falkland introduces stories of outstanding individuals and charitable organisations working for various good causes across the country. Today’s charity champions include a one-woman fundraising legend who raised over £3m for her local cancer services; a small charity helping sleepless parents; and we get an update on the wedding dress convoy bound for Moscow. Get to know the nation’s charity champions right here on your Community Channel.
Seven years ago Heidi Child from East Sussex suffered extensive 40% burns when her former fiancée doused her with petrol, set her alight and left her for dead in a vicious and unprovoked attack. Having endured hours of painful surgery and over 70 skin grafts, Heidi has begun to repair her life with the support of her family and friends. Today she volunteers at the family-run pet rescue centre and has just begun working at a local supermarket. “Everyday’s a struggle but you just have to get on with it. There are days when you don’t want to get up but there’s always someone worse off than yourself,” says Heidi.
As a child Richard Tailor struggled to make friends, was terrified of going to school and couldn’t cope with changes of any kind. At the age of thirteen Richard was wrongly diagnosed as depressed and schizophrenic and placed on a course of heavy medication, whereby his condition deteriorated resulting in a series of suicide attempts and violent outbursts. It wasn’t until a social worker recognised that Richard was displaying autistic characteristics that he was finally given the correct diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome – an autism spectrum disorder.
 Today Richard is a bright, happy and healthy 28-year-old who is determined not to let his autism prevent him from leading a full and exciting life. He lives in a house managed by the local charity, NoRSACA, started by parents of children with autism and works in the community collecting recycling. He says, “I’m a lot more independent, more mature and certainly a lot happier.”
Also featured on the programme is John Leese who has dedicated several years to raising vital funds for the Douglas MacMillan Hospice, in Stoke-on-Trent. The hospice cared for John’s wife before she succumbed to terminal cancer. For the last 18 years, John has tirelessly raised money through on-street collections, totalling a staggering £220,000 to date. John is a true charity champion and his work is hugely appreciated by the hospice and its patients.
We meet a widower from Eastbourne who saved a suicidal woman from taking her life on the cliffs of Beach Head, just one week after his own wife lost her life at the same spot. We learn about the unique organisation Sleep Scotland that’s helping sleepless parents get the good night’s sleep they desperately need; meet Peggy Wood who has raised over £3million for her local cancer care services; and hear from Jack Agnew about living with his little brother George who has special needs.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 02 March 2006 )
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