By Saul Cooke-Black

A FAMILY are making a final push in an epic fundraising bid to buy a new powerchair for a disabled girl with cerebral palsy.

Jeremy Bullock, 42, from Whitehill, Stroud, is cycling from John o' Groats to Land's End for his daughter Gemma, 11, who attends St Rose's School, Stroud, as the family aim to raise between £5,000 and £6,000 for the new chair.

They have already raised around £1,500.

Four hundred pounds from a quiz night, £400 when Gemma's brother Ben completed a sponsored triathlon and so far £700 from sponsorship for Jeremy's bike ride.

Gemma's mum, Debbie, 41, said: "We want to raise between £5,000 and £6,000 for a chair, and it is encouraging that people and charities are being so supportive.

"Gemma has cerebral palsy and a genetic condition, so she can’t stand or sit on her own and has to use a power wheelchair.

"She joined Cheltenham Saracens Powerchair Football Club when it started in October last year, and she has really enjoyed being a member – it is the one sport she can do on a level playing field with others, and she loves the training and the social side of it.

"At the moment she’s borrowing an adult chair which is not ideal, so we are hoping to buy her own chair to help her progress."

And their efforts have been supported by charity donations totalling £3,300, from Gloucestershire Disability Fund, Scope, The Gyde charity, Dursley Lions Club and RemPods, Stroud, taking the current overall total to around £4,800.

Ben, 13, who attends Archway School in Stroud, swam 400m in the indoor pool at Stratford Park Leisure Centre, followed by a ten kilometre cycle ride and a 2.5 kilometre run in May.

Mr Bullock, an applications engineer at Vero Software in Cheltenham, will be taking on the cycling challenge with his brother Chris and two other friends from July 19 to July 30, covering around 100 kilometres per day.

To sponsor him visit www.justgiving.com/gemmasfootballfocus/.