A determined young fundraiser from Devon has become the first recipient of a special racing wheel chair and is already raising thousands for charity.
11 year old Lydia Cross, Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) Young Citizen Award 2010 winner, came third in her age group in the London Mini-Marathon , completing it in just 22 minutes and 9 seconds. Her new wheels, the first from Rotary’s Wheel Appeal, had been given to her just the day before.
She was absolutely thrilled with her race-time and is hoping to raise £6,000 in sponsorship and will give half of that back to Rotary’s Wheel Appeal with Wheelpower and half to Help for Heroes.
Lydia lost her lower legs at the age of two due to meningitis. She has since raised more than £65,000 for Help for Heroes, where she is the only Child Patron, and the Royal British Legion. She has also helped wounded servicemen returning from Afghanistan, including Ben McBean who was a RIBI Young Citizen Award winner this year, get prosthetic limbs.
Lydia is usually seen taking part in events using her running blades but she has taken up wheelchair racing in the past few months and the three-mile Mini-Marathon for 11 to 17 year olds will be her second wheelchair race.
She received her racing wheelchair from DGE Eve Conway and DGE Debbie Hodge, both on the RIBI Olympic Committee, Mike Thorn, coordinator of Rotary Wheel Appeal, and was joined by the Chief Executive of WheelPower, Martin McElhatton, and Job King from England Athletics at Rotary in London Headquarters.
