Pub hands over cash to help Jonah (From Wiltshire Times)

Pub hands over cash to help Jonah

9:41am Tuesday 30th September 2008

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AFTER a summer of fundraising, a pub in Bradford on Avon has handed over a four-figure sum to help a west Wiltshire athletics champion with cerebral palsy.

Jonah Wright and his family were given £1,350 last Thursday at the Beef and Barge in Widbrook, which helped organise numerous fundraising events to help the teenager, who has limited movement of his body, but excels in his own way.

Jonah, 16, of The Common in Holt, won three gold medals at the regional disability athletics championships and excels at boccia, a form of boules for athletes with a disability.

Paul Davies, 38, the landlord of the Beef and Barge has known the Wright family for years and desperately wanted to help with the expensive costs of transporting Jonah to sporting events and in every day life.

"We have had a poker night, karaoke, face painting and loads more," he said.

"We just wanted to say thank you to everyone who contributed.

"I've known Jonah since I moved up here about five years ago. He is just so full of life it's unreal. That boy comes in here with cerebral palsy and he can't walk or move but he is so full of life."

Jonah thanked the locals and contributing organisations by typing thank you' on his voice computer at the presentation event.

Martial Arts displays by Trowbridge Kickboxing Association, a James Bond casino night, tug-of-war and raffles with prizes including a pair of boxing gloves signed by Mike Tyson, have all contributed to the final fundrising amount.

The money will be put towards buying a new hoist for the wheelchair.

Mr Davies said: "It's not so much helping Jonah but helping his parents considerably to move Jonah about a bit more easily. Day to day is very difficult."

Jonah goes to a special weekly boarding school in Hampshire.

His father Trevor, 60, a teacher at George Ward School in Melksham, has written a letter to the Wiltshire Times thanking everyone for their support. See letters page ***.

In it, he said: "Through the Wiltshire Times, I would like to thank those who contributed towards and helped raise much needed money for our son Jonah.

"Particular thanks to all at the Beef and Barge, especially to Paul Davies, theTrowbridge Kickboxing Association, Specsavers and staff and sixth-formers at the George Ward School, who ran in the Bristol Half Marathon."

Mr Wright and his wife Corinne, 50, both work full time and juggle their time between their four boys, Fred, 18, Jonah, 16, Alfie, 14, and Bertie, 10.

Jonah has since been chosen to represent the south east in Sheffield at the Disability Sport England Open Junior Boccia Championships 2008 in November.

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