FRENSHAM Heights School opened its doors to families from all over the UK earlier this month for a special day of fun and celebration.

The event was organised by HemiHelp parent member Sandy Seagrove to give children with hemiplegia the chance to try new activities and sports and to meet other children with the same condition.

Hemiplegia is a lifelong condition caused by injury to the brain. It affects movement on one side of the body to a varying degree and can also cause other less visible effects such as epilepsy, specific learning difficulties, anxiety or challenging behaviour.

Hemiplegia affects one person in every 1,000, the same level of prevalence as Down’s syndrome.

Children were treated to a huge range of activities including, scuba diving, martial arts, tennis, football, boccia, fencing, netball, cricket, dance, drumming, music and magic workshops, pottery, cake decorating, horse riding and a zip wire.

None of which could have been possible without the 70 volunteers that supported the day, a huge thanks to everyone and to Frensham Heights School for all their generosity.

One very pleased parent said: “Thank you very much to HemiHelp and Sandy Seagrove for organising such a fantastic family day in Surrey. This was our first time at a fun day and we all really enjoyed it.

“My daughter, who is 13 years old and has right-sided hemiplegia, overcame her fear of horse riding with the help of the fantastic volunteers. She also loved the one handed musical instruments and breathe magic.

“Thank you for providing these great experiences and happy memories.”

HemiHelp would like to thank Shinnen Martial Arts, Surrey Aquanauts, Breathe Magic, Chelsea FC, The One Handed Musical Instruments Trust, Farnham Boccia Club, Tennis Surrey and Chobham Fencing Club for making the day possible.

HemiHelp provides information, support and guidance to people with hemiplegia and their families from the time of diagnosis for as long as they need us.

For more information about hemiplegia visit the charity’s website www.hemihelp.org.uk.