Hi, my name is Andrew Wainwright, and I am fundraising for Craig Bailey (Age 54), known to most people as Kipper, son to Ann is a much-loved friend to me and to so many people in our village.

On Monday, 9 February, Craig suffered a large stroke which left him without the use of both arms and legs, and without his speech. The months since have been incredibly difficult, but Craig has shown tremendous courage and determination.

With ongoing physiotherapy, Craig has made encouraging progress. He has regained the use of his left arm and left leg, as well as some use of his right leg. He can now manoeuvre a wheelchair, and he continues to work hard with speech therapists. Although his speech has not yet returned, Craig communicates using hand signals and noises and continues to make progress every day.

Before his stroke, Craig was a self-employed joiner by trade. Losing the use of his dominant right hand has had a devastating impact on his independence and his ability to work, making the challenges he now faces even more difficult.

Craig's mum, Ann, is caring for him and supporting him through this incredibly difficult time. Like any mum, she is understandably worried about his safety, particularly because Craig currently must use the stairs to access the bathroom. She is constantly concerned that he could lose his balance, fall and seriously hurt himself.

At present, Craig's bed is in the lounge room which is not ideal as you can imagine. Getting up and down the stairs to have a shower is extremely dangerous for him. We are therefore raising funds to help create a safer and more suitable living space for Craig.

The plan is to build a downstairs bedroom and wet room on the footprint of an existing old conservatory. This would give Craig safe and accessible facilities on the ground floor, reduce the risk of falls and make a huge difference to his daily life, independence and dignity. It would also give Ann much-needed peace of mind knowing that Craig can access his bedroom and bathroom safely.

We are incredibly fortunate that many of Craig's friends in the village have already offered to provide the trades and labour needed to carry out the work. The funds raised will therefore go towards purchasing the building materials and equipment needed to make this project possible.

Any surplus funds will be used to help with Craig's living expenses while he continues his long road to recovery.

Craig has always been a friend to so many people, and now it is our turn to support him. Every donation, no matter how large or small, will make a real difference. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean just as much.

Thank you for taking the time to read Craig's story and for any support you can give.