Help give eight-year-old Elsie from Sutton the Christmas present she has been waiting for

In the spirit of Christmas kindness the Chad is calling on generous readers to help give an eight-year-old Sutton girl with a rare condition the present she’s been waiting for.
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Little Elsie Novell suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy a genetic disorder characterised by weakness and muscle wasting.

Diagnosed at 18 months old, she now has an 85 degree spinal curvature and often has to wear a spinal brace.

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Despite her difficult condition, the spirited Mapplewell Primary School pupil manages to get around using a special electric wheelchair.

English Rose estate agents at Kirkby presented a cheque to Elsie Novell who needs a new wheelchair. Seen here are English Rose company director Julie Cotterill presenting the cheque to Elsie Novell and her mum Charlotte Novell.English Rose estate agents at Kirkby presented a cheque to Elsie Novell who needs a new wheelchair. Seen here are English Rose company director Julie Cotterill presenting the cheque to Elsie Novell and her mum Charlotte Novell.
English Rose estate agents at Kirkby presented a cheque to Elsie Novell who needs a new wheelchair. Seen here are English Rose company director Julie Cotterill presenting the cheque to Elsie Novell and her mum Charlotte Novell.

However, after five years of intensive use, and because she is growing, her beloved chair which cost her family around £23,000, is gradually coming to the end of its life.

Dozens of community fundraisers in the Ashfield area have so far helped raise around £21,500 for a new chair, but there is still a shortfall, partly due to fundraising events, including a sweet sale and a choir evening raffle, being cancelled due to the pandemic.

So, the Chad is calling on readers to dig deep, to help boost the coffers to get her a new chair.

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Her mum Charlotte Novell, a teacher at All Saints Secondary School, Mansfield, said: “We were in touching distance of getting the money for a new electric chair for Elsie, somewhere between £1000 to £1500 shy of our target. Covid hit and some our fundraisers were cancelled.

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"Elsie loves her current wheelchair, it has been her arms and legs for the past five years, it’s become like part of her, she is comfortable with it, but now it is coming to its end, she will definitely need a new one.

"Her needs are also changing, and with her spinal surgery in the coming year, it’s a major operation, it will help her grow taller and she will need a more robust chair.

“Unfortunately, she recently broke down on her way to school, we took her her manual chair, but that means she can’t get around as well, it limits her freedom.

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She added: "If anyone can help us achieve the final amount for her the new chair she desperately needs, it would be a wonderful Christmas present.

“The community have been amazing raising money over the past few years.”

To find out how to donate visit: Team Elsie on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/teamelsie1

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