A GENEROUS, anonymous donation has community fundraisers within touching distance of purchasing an all-terrain wheelchair for Teesdale volunteer.
An appeal was launched in the spring to pull in £11,000 to buy the special chair for disabled Scout leader Sue Baillie.
Organisers were amazed when a donation of £5,300 was made.
Suzanne Thomas, who started the fundraiser and completed a 40-mile charity trek to Penrith as part of the campaign, said: “I was gobsmacked when the donation came in.
“It was from a long-time reader of the Teesdale Mercury. He read the story and said because he had come into some good fortune and he wanted to share it.
“We would have liked to give them a thank you, but as it was anonymous, we don’t know who it is, but the thank you will be the chair.”
The cash was particularly welcome as the cost of the chair has gone up.
Mr Thomas added: “We were just a whisper away from the total of £11,000. We were £300 short.
“Unfortunately, we have a bit more fundraising to do because when we went to order the wheelchair it has gone up by £1,500, so we have organised a race night in December to try and hit the target.”
The race night will be held on December 16 at GSK Sports and Social Club, in Barnard Castle. Ms Thomas said: “What we have achieved so far, is all down to the power of the community that have got behind someone who has helped other people all her life and continues to help them.
“Sue (Baillie) never thought we would get there. I said we are two Sues on one mission.
“We are going to do a race night at GSK Sports Club so we can get there. We started the fundraiser in May and we will be there before Christmas. Any money left over after the purchase of the all-terrain wheelchair will be given to other local charities aimed at keeping members of the community mobile.”
