A FAMILY from Melksham have raised more than £600 at just one coffee morning to put towards a life-changing operation for their two-year-old son.

A local firm has added a four-figure sum to the pot to get the Raising for Raife fund closer to its £45,000 goal.

Laura and Andrew Wilson launched the campaign a few months ago to pay for a procedure that could help their son. Raife suffers from an extremely rare blood disorder, which has caused cerebral palsy, which causes pain and limited growth.

His parents want him to have selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR), an operation used that improves spasticity and mobility. This complex procedure is not available on the NHS.

“Nerve fibres running from the muscles back to the spinal cord play a major role in maintaining muscle stiffness. SDR, by dividing some of these fibres, is effective at significantly reducing stiffness and spasticity,” Mrs Wilson said.

Persimmon Homes Wessex recently presented a cheque for £1,000 to Raife and his family as part of the company’s Community Champions scheme. A coffee morning on Sunday at Shaw Village Hall raised another £600.

“All donations are gratefully received and we really enjoyed our coffee morning," said Mrs Williams.

“We managed to shift tons of cake, drink copious amounts of tea and coffee, and the kids were all tired out from bouncing on the bouncy castle and the sugar rush.”

Pauline Fletcher, sales and marketing director for Persimmon Homes Wessex, said: “We’re so pleased to present Raife and his family with this donation. He is such a brave boy who has faced a lot of difficulties and we couldn’t be more honoured to help them.

“This is exactly what our Community Champions scheme is all about, supporting good causes to make a positive change.”

Mrs Wilson, 28, said: “We have worked tirelessly for Raife. These donations take us one step closer to our fundraising target.

“Raife is an inspiration to us, his family and friends and deserves to have the independence and opportunity to be the best he can be and shape his own future without restricted mobility.”

The family's Just Giving page shows the team have already raised more than £7,000 and there are no signs of things slowing just yet. Mrs Wilson is now planning a summer party for July 1 at the Farmhouse Inn in Southwick; tickets will be on sale shortly on the Raising for Raife Facebook page.

To help Raife and the Wilson family achieve their goal visit www.justgiving.com/raife-wilson.