On the 8th of February, five dedicated and (moderately) fit individuals will be competing in the Turf Games to raise awareness and funds for a charity very close to the hearts of two of the team members.

Raniero and Nora's niece, Lucy, was born with a rare chromosome deletion disorder. Although it’s hard to make an accurate prognosis of the long-term impact this will have on her life, it initially presents itself with developmental delays both in learning and motor skills which if not addressed at this critical point in her life, can lead to further difficulties later on.

There are very few recorded cases of CDD and her specific deletion is the first identified in the UK, which means it has been a struggle for Raniero's sister and brother in law to find support. In June 2018 they started taking her to Small Steps which specialises in teaching, supporting and helping young children and their families through very personalised courses of physiotherapy as well as stimulating activities. The personalised care she’s received has been fantastic and her progress since has been tremendous.

From not being able to crawl at all, she’s now able to crawl up stairs and stand unassisted and her verbal communication has greatly improved. Just as importantly, it’s a free program. The charity is very small and receives no state funding, with 85% of their income coming from personal donations, which is why your contributions will make such a big difference. Any amount at all that you’re able to give will go a long way to generate a meaningful impact on the lives of other families and children in similar situations.