East Preston tot in training to help sister

His sister, Iona-May Thorne, four, has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and her family want to raise £60,000 to carry out alterations to their East Preston home that will give her the quality of life she deserves.

So keen is Henry to help, that he has offered to do a sponsored bike ride in Worthing, from George V Avenue to Worthing Pier, and other tots are invited to join him, on Saturday next week (April 23).

Their mum, Vicki, said that Iona-May and Henry were very close.

“It’s a lovely relationship. He helps feed her, and really helps me with her,” she said.

“It’s hard to explain, but it’s like he was born knowing that his sister needed help. He just knows what to do. If her head flops down, he runs over and helps her back up.

“When we are driving, and if he sees she has got herself into a funny position, he will shout ‘mum’, so we can make her comfortable.”

Iona-May, who was born nine weeks early and was expected not to survive longer than 72 hours, is blind, cannot speak, and is unable to move around on her own.

As she is getting bigger, Vicki and partner, Sam Barnes, are finding it increasingly difficult to get her up and down the stairs.

The work they want to do to the house includes a ground-floor bedroom and wet room for Iona-May, as well as widening all the doorways for her wheelchair, and putting in ramps. A West Sussex County Council grant will cover half the costs, but the family needs to raise the rest, about £30,000.

“Henry loves his bike, he never wants to get off it, so a sponsored bike ride is perfect. He has a few friends from his nursery, Camelia Botnar, joining him,” said Vicki.

“If others want to come along, on a bike, scooter, or just run alongside him, they are welcome.”

Other events lined up for the cause include a race night at the Golden Lion pub, Goring, on Friday next week, from 7pm.

Local artists are also invited to donate any paintings, drawings or photographs to a charity art auction.

For more information, to donate, or to put your little one forward to take part in Henry’s bike ride, go to www.helpionamay.com or e-mail [email protected]