Please help Laura
A SEVERELY-disabled six-year-old girl needs high-tech equipment to improve her life and help her to communicate.
Now two major fundraising events have been organised to start bringing in the £2,500 needed to help both Laura Wood and her new school.
For 40% of everything her family raises will be given to the new Castle Hill Special School, which opens next Monday.
The money is likely to be spent on buying specialised sensory equipment.
The school, on Newsome Road South, has replaced two special schools - Highfields at Edgerton and Turnshaws at Kirkburton.
Laura, of Crosland Moor, is moving from Highfields to Castle Hill.
She has cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and epilepsy. She is also visually impaired.
But she loves special lighting and also has good hearing, so the family wants equipment aimed at this sense.
Laura's mum, 32-year-old Rachael Johnson, and other relatives are determined to provide her with all the specialist equipment she will need, including a specially-modified computer.
Rachael said: "Since she started at Highfields Laura has really come into her own. She has progressed so much there and now uses a computer at school.
"We'd love to be able to carry that work on at home.
"She's such a joy to have. If I had known when she was born how fab she would be at six I'd not have shed a single tear.
"I have the little girl today I never thought I'd have. She now has one word - yeah - but it's amazing how that's opened up a whole new world of communication."
Laura was born seven weeks early and had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage, which led to her disabilities.
The main fundraising event will be at Huddersfield YMCA, Laund Hill, Salendine Nook at 7pm on Saturday, October 20. It will feature an auction, raffles and a disco. Tickets cost £3.
More raffle prizes are needed.
The appeal has also led to an old charity golf match between two of Huddersfield's biggest firms to be restarted.
Teams from Syngenta and David Brown Gears used to battle for a trophy.
The trophy has recently been rediscovered at Brown's and Rachael's brother-in-law, Roger Patrice, who works at Syngenta, has organised a fundraising match. It will be at Outlane Golf Club on Friday, October 6, with 20 players from each firm.
Anyone who can help by giving raffle prizes or wants to buy tickets for the YMCA event can phone Rachael on 01484 462047, Lynn Dulling on 01484 301048, Sandra Garratty on 01484 349417 or Mr Patrice on 01484 307667.
Crosland Moor
Kirkburton
Outlane