News: Colls Raise Money For Local Youngster

Atherton Collieries committee member Bryan Connett has raised over £1000 to help a local youngster with a serious medical condition. Charlie is a 5 year old boy who has a condition called West Syndrome which is a severe form of epilepsy. He suffers infantile spasms and myoclonic jerks on a daily basis, and was diagnosed with the condition aged just 3 months old. Charlie also suffers from cerebral palsy and Dystonia, where the whole of his body goes into cramps on a daily basis. He cannot hold his head up without assistance, can’t walk or talk and is registered blind. Over the last 12 months, Charlie's health has deteriorated dramatically and has spent many months in hospital, and his parents made the tough decision to accept palliative care for Charlie as he has suffered so much over the last five years of his life. When Colls stalwart Bryan read the story, it touched him greatly, and when he heard that the people of Atherton were raising money for the poorly little boy, he decided he had to get the football club involved. £110 was raised from the half time draw in the recent Colls v LR cup-tie but Bryan decided he wanted to raise more. Therefore, in the past couple of months he has walked the length and breadth of Atherton asking the landlords and regulars of his favourite watering holes to donate to a very worthwhile cause. The initial aim was to get each player sponsored for the Flatcap Derby between Colls and LR on Boxing Day, but there were soon more donators than players available. Colls Secretary Emil Anderson said: "Bryan totted up what he had collected and it came to £1002. He had set out to collect £500 and was overwhelmed with the figure realised. "He met Charlie just after Christmas and was humbled by the experience. Bryan and the club would like to put on record sincere thanks to everybody who put their hands in their pockets for a very worthy cause". Article taken from here.