A delighted Burnham-On-Sea couple is celebrating this week after receiving a major grant to build much-needed facilities for their severely disabled son.
Callum, 7, suffers from cerebral palsy and cannot do everyday tasks without using specialised ceiling pulleys and the help of his parents, Sue and Phil Mackman.
So the family – who live on the Rosewood Farm estate – applied for a grant to construct an annexe at their home featuring specialised facilities to make their lives easier.
The request was initially held up by delays, as Sue told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Plans were drawn up to construct a through-floor lift, so Callum could join us upstairs. We got planning permission, but bureaucracy held everything up for several years.”
“A new plan was then drawn up to combine our garage and study to create an area with all the facilities that Callum would need.”
“The proposal got the go-ahead, but the slowness of the builders meant it could have taken up to four years to get completed.”
“As new legislation is now in place to make getting these grant-funded facilities faster, we got Burnham’s MP, David Heathcoat-Amory, involved and quickly got results.”
“We’re both chuffed to bits. Callum will soon have a properly-equipped bathroom and bedroom with ceiling tracks and a proper emergency exit.”
“It means so much to us – it will give Callum back some decency, privacy and dignity.”
“At the moment, when friends or relatives come around we have to ask them to leave the lounge if Callum needs the bathroom. The new facilities will give him some independence. We all want to lead as normal a life as possible.”
Mr Heathcoat-Amory visited the family over the weekend and said afterwards: “I am delighted to see the ground floor conversion was nearly complete and will be ready by Christmas. I am very pleased I was able to get the facility for a boy who so clearly needs it. Callum is a delightful little boy and is looking forward to his new home.”
