Smile for a Child charity bids to raise £4,000 for special 'eye gazer' aids

A SPECIAL school which helps disabled kids from the dale has teamed up with a tireless fundraiser to fund vital new communication equipment.
Chris Read, who runs A Smile For A Child, lived in Barnard Castle for ten years and recently moved to Newton Aycliffe.
However, the 51-year-old retains close ties to Teesdale and after speaking to Cockfield’s Lisa Wood, whose son Matthew lives with severe complex needs, it was agreed he would team up with the Oaks School, in Spennymoor, to raise money for specialist machinery.
Pupils will take on Mr Read in a 26.2 mile challenge later this month and hope to raise £4,000 for new “eye gazer” equipment to help teachers and students communicate in the classroom.
Mr Read explained: “The eye gazer is like a children’s version of Stephen Hawking’s machine.
“He can spell out words on his but this one has pictures on the screen which are relevant to a given lesson.”
Children relying on the machines in primary school will not be able to take the £4,000 devices with them into secondary school.
Ms Wood said the eye gazers could be life changing for children.
“It would make a child’s life so much better and so much less stressful as well as helping teachers,” she added.
“To be honest these things should be government funded but there aren’t.
“They cost £4,000, which is a lot of money, but for the sake of changing a child’s life, money should not be a issue,” she said.
Schoolchildren will run a relay half marathon between them, racing against Mr Read who will take on the whole marathon on the next machine along.
Sponsorship and donations have already raised £400 and Mr Read was determined to smash the target.
He added: “All the parents, staff and the local community are getting involved.
“Rather than stand there and watch me run they are helping themselves – that’s the beauty of it.
“We will do it – we will raise £4,000 come hell or high water and the children will have fun doing it.”
To donate to the cause, go to: https://www.justgiving. com/campaigns/charity/a smileforachild/theoaks