Supplier News
UK – Alea donation empowers disabled schoolgirl
By Phil - 13 October 2014
A Glaswegian schoolgirl is celebrating newfound independence thanks to the donation of a high powered wheelchair worth £7,000, courtesy of ALEA Casino in Glasgow.
Twelve years old Alexandra has Cerebral Palsy, and was presented with the chair by Radio Clyde DJ Gina McKie during a tour of the studios.
Alexandra’s Cerebral Palsy means that she is only able to walk short distances and that she tires easily. She is a keen student at a secondary school in the Glasgow area, at which the chair will dramatically improve both her mobility and her independence.
The donation is part of ALEA Glasgow’s ongoing commitment to gaming industry charity CHIPS, which provides powered wheelchairs for disabled youngsters.
Paul Rety, Venue Director at ALEA Glasgow, said:“It is incredibly rewarding to give such a life-changing gift to a local youngster. We take great pride in our charity work, especially when it comes to supporting our local community.”
The presentation venue was selected due to her passion for pop music and boy bands, in particular One Direction and The Vamps. At the studios, she took great delight in pressing a button to activate the music on air.
Alexandra’s mum Anne said: “Alexandra has been really excited about both the chair and the visit to the studios, she listens to the local radio all the time! The chair will dramatically improve her quality of living and provide her with independence for her teenage years. We are incredibly grateful to staff and customers at ALEA Casino for their fundraising efforts.”
CHIPS, which stands for ‘Children’s Happiness Involves People’ was founded on behalf of the Casino and gaming industry, in order to raise funds to purchase specialised powered wheelchairs for youngsters with varying disabilities.
The charity provides wheelchairs for children who would otherwise have no way of getting around on their own, funding wheelchairs that the NHS cannot provide and that the parents cannot afford to buy. To date it has raised over £1.2m and has presented over 400 wheelchairs to youngsters.
Director of CHIPS charity Linda Lindsay said: “It is so important to CHIPS that our donors see the results of their hard work and we are especially grateful to Paul and his team for organizing the presentation at such an exciting venue for Alexandra. Caesars Entertainment UK have been amazing, enabling us to provide three high powered chairs already in 2014.”
