A LOCAL zoo teamed up with Chelmsford residents to raise vital funds for a little boy who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of one.
Six-year-old Bailey Holden is a popular child who never lets his illness get the better of him, and is always seen with a smile on his face. Described as an inspirational little boy, Bailey has a team of supportive volunteers who organised the fundraising event to raise money to buy him a special car seat.
Due to his illness, Bailey often suffers from seizures which make traveling by car very dangerous. The £2000 seat will allow him to travel more safely.
At the event, which was held on April 5 in Keene Hall in Chelmsford, arts and crafts, a bouncy castle and a visit from two of Tropical Wings Zoo's most popular animals entertained Bailey and his friends. The day was a great success raising£1,400 towards the cost of Bailey's special car seat.
Tropical Wings zookeeper Katie Bean attended the event and brought along her furry friends, Coco and Tillie. The two hand-reared ring-tailed Coatis, which originate from South America, provided a lot of fun for the children, with event organiser Clare Murrell saying the animals were the highlight of the day.
Clare, whose daughter Ruby is in the same class as Bailey at Mildmay Infants and Nursery School, said: "We are so grateful to Tropical Wings Zoo for coming along and supporting Bailey. He is such a happy little boy who has an army of friends and the children were delighted to play with the Coatis. It was great to see them having so much fun.
She added: "We would like to thank Tropical Wings and all the other volunteers for their help and support. The tea party was a great success and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves."
Zookeeper Katie said: "I was delighted to have been invited to Bailey's tea party. Tropical Wings always wants to support the local community wherever possible, and this was such a worthwhile cause. It was fantastic to see him interacting with the animals and having so much fun."
Tropical Wings Zoo also donated three family-passes to the raffle which was held on the day, and further efforts are being made by Clare and her team to raise money for Bailey, including a sky dive