Allotment Holders Association
   A Heartfelt Thanks To Olney
hen local Lavendon family, Justin and Claire Crook, were expecting their second child, things were very rosy indeed. Mum and Dad were
looking forward to a new baby and five year old Thomas was eagerly waiting a new brother or sister to play with. On 7th April, the day had finally arrived, and Claire was moved into the delivery room in Bedford Maternity Hospital to bring the new arrival into the world. The extended family, which included grandparents Jean and Gerald Wilson of CT Wilson's Hardware Shop in Olney, all awaited news of the new addition to the family... but things didn't go quite the way they were expecting when William was born.
It was immediately evident to the medical team that William had some severe problems with a number of his organs. Therein began a trauma which lasted seven long months, and has involved William receiving a number of lifesaving treatments in no less than five different hospitals.
Initially diagnosed with renal and intestinal failure, hehasundergonemanyoperationsandprocedures to remove large sections of his small intestine. He is being fed intravenously, in the hope that his gut will develop as he grows and will begin to absorb nutrients better, allowing him to eat orally. He is having dialysis for his renal failure and the hope is that he will be able to have a transplant in the future. This has all been in the first seven months of his life, and you can only imagine the cost and pressure this has put on family life.
Having been born in Bedford hospital and spent time in Luton & Dunstable, Leicester's Glenfield Hospital, Leicester Royal Infirmary and now Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, William has certainly been well travelled, but sadly the one place he has yet to see, is his home in Lavendon. Claire and Justin, both very involved in the local communitythroughthe StJohnAmbulance Brigade in Olney, have found that the situation they are in has forced them to put normal family life on hold. As you can imagine, the amount of travel between home and the various hospitals, allied to the need to find accommodation wherever William was being treated was a major issue, and one that was not surprisingly, causing stress to the entire family. Fortunately, a less well-known charity, 'The Sick Children's Trust' came to their aid. This charity has accommodated them in clean, well looked after rooms within larger houses, taking a huge
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he Olney Allotment Holders Association AGM was held at the Carlton House Club recently and was well attended. Decisions to vote on a new constitution
and formal election of a committee were passed. This entailed arranging an EGM for the 11th December at the Olney Centre. It was also agreed to join the National Allotment Society. Tom Aldridge won the Sidney Dix Cup for best Allotment. Tom not only has one of the best kept allotments but his assistance and advice to other allotmenteers has been widespread and welcome.
 
 financial pressure off them and, as Claire says, "also strangely eased the emotional strain". She could not stress enough how much this form of support was needed at such a difficult time for her and Justin. Their experiences have enabled them to see the value that the charitable sector contributes to parents who find themselves in the type of traumatic situation that they are facing as a family.
At the time of writing, William is still in Great Ormond Street Hospital, receiving life saving treatment, but this has not stopped Claire, Justin and the extended family, from looking at ways in which they can 'partially repay' the Sick Children's Trust for their support at this difficult time.
Gerald and Jean have embarked on a fundraising exercise to provide a stock of many common household items, which the trust would normally have to purchase for the properties which house such families. By supplying these items, they hope it will enable the trust to release much needed funds for the main purposes of the organisation.
Gerald and Jean have been amazed at how many friends, family and local people in Olney, have rallied round to contribute to the cause. Stocks of the articles needed are now building up nicely, and will shortly be passed over to the trust for distribution to the various houses which the trust has access to. This will ultimately benefit parents, such as Claire and Justin, who require to make extended visits to hospital with their children.
The family would also like to thank the Newport Pagnell and Olney Lions Club who have made a generous donation of £500 to their appeal. Rather than simply purchase a higher volume of household items, Claire and Justin would like to make a more substantial and longer lasting addition to one of the properties, and are now in discussions with the trust to identify an appropriate item. The photograph shows Tony Higgs of the Lions Club, formally handing over
the Lions cheque to Jean.
The family would like to thank all the residents of Olney who have supported this appeal and have given such fantastic support to Claire, Justin and Thomas, as they move towards the day when William is finally out of hospital and at home with his family.