DEDICATED followers of fashion in Teesdale have helped pay for vital research into a rare disease affecting a four-year-old boy.
A fashion show was held at M&Co, in Barnard Castle, last Monday night to help fund scientists looking for a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) – a rare and limiting muscle wasting disease. The event was inspired by little Ryan Chidzey, of Gainford, who was diagnosed with the illness last year.
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The show was put on, with the help of the clothing store, by Teesdale Lions, which holds events in aid of good causes. Group president Graham Walker said: “We wanted to do something different and we had the idea for a fashion show. M&Co has been really good in lending us the clothing free of charge and Morrisons has donated the nibbles and drinks too. We just want to raise as much money as we can for Ryan – and if we can have a good time that’s a bonus.”
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The event saw locals of all ages strut their stuff down a makeshift catwalk in the shop, wearing the latest range of clothing sold by M&Co. They were watched by a crowd of people who paid a small entrance fee. Some £417.50 was totted up at the end of the night. The Lions club said it was”over the moon” .
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Mr Walker said: “It costs £170 a day to carry out research into the disease so to fund a few days is brilliant.”
Several members of the Lions became catwalk stars for the evening, including Mr Walker and Bob Garton.
The Lions will be raising money for Ryan all year after hearing of the boy’s fight against the disease last year. Members of the Lions are friends with Ryan’s granddad, Bert Chidzey. “It’s a very worthy cause and it’s local,” said Mr Walker.
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Ryan’s sister, Abigail, attended the show, along with his grandmother, Rosalyn Chidzey.
To support Our Fight For Ryan, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/muscular-dystrophy/ourfightforryan
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
