Mum Helen Norcott says Trowbridge children’s charity Stepping Stones is essential for the community and is fully behind the Times’ Give Us a Chance campaign.

Mrs Norcott’s four-year-old daughter Bethan has Down’s Syndrome and has been attending the Broadcloth Road centre, which serves west Wiltshire children with learning difficulties and disabilities, since she was six months old.

In February, Stepping Stones lost £10,000 of funding from Wiltshire Council when central government withdrew its Aiming High For Disabled Children grants.

The public has so far raised £12,072 towards the appeal set up after the funding cut.

Mrs Norcott, who lives in Rosenheim Rise, Bratton, said: “I really didn’t know anything about the support available for children like Bethan.

“We met Debbie Wickham, Stepping Stones’ manager, when my daughter was about four months old and it was like a guardian angel had been sent look after us.

“She has been amazing and Stepping Stones has been fantastic with Bethan. They’ve helped to develop her speech, language and mobility.”

The charity also gives support to Mrs Norcott, her husband Noel and their seven-year-old daughter Sophie.

Bethan is leaving Stepping Stones in the summer to start at Bratton Primary School.

Mrs Norcott said: “Bethan is so much better prepared thanks to Stepping Stones... we’ve made life-long friends there. I hope people continue to donate to this campaign and think where would these children be without Stepping Stones – I dread to think.”

To donate call 01225 350004 or email barbara@steppingstones.

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