A CHARITY which raises funds for challenged Wiltshire children has picked out two families to support to make their lives easier.

Wiltshire Wishes is supporting the Cannings family from Trowbridge and the Hughes family from Dilton Marsh so they can add much needed extensions to their homes.

Jack Cannings has Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive muscle wasting condition with no cure and Dolly has Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, a disorder which drastically affects her breathing.

Dolly’s mum Kelly, of The Circle, said: “I’m delighted that Wiltshire Wishes has decided to support us, we’re really grateful as fundraising alone is not easy.

“We need this extension so desperately. At the moment we are not entitled to a care worker because the living conditions are too cramped in our house.

“If we have an extension built we will have a care visit up to four times a week, which will mean I’ll be able to get more than the four hours of sleep a day I currently get. At the moment I have to stay up all night in a reclining chair watching Dolly in case she stops breathing.

“Also Dolly cannot get upstairs very easily so it would be great to have a downstairs bathroom for her. She just wants to live a normal life but it’s not easy.”

A bingo night was organised by the charity last weekend which raised £426 and a family fun day is being held at Leigh Park Community Hall from 9.30-1.30pm on Sunday (March 12) to boost funds further, complete with a raffle, tombola and bouncy castle.

Charity founder Jenny Couldrake said: “Both families just want somewhere safe for their children.

“Every day that passes is a day that Jack's condition worsens. Soon he will lose the use of his legs and right now his home is not safe or ready for that.

“As a mother the least we want to give our children is a safe place to sleep at night.

“Both families have been fundraising for the last year now and we now really need to pull together and get money raised fast.”

Mrs Hughes, who has six children, says the family has so fair raised £2,100 towards the £10,000 needed to build the extension.

Contact Mrs Couldrake on 07925325138 if you would like to help with fundraising.