Three-year-old Luna Trenerry has had an extremely eventful lockdown.
Not only has she been taking part in grown-up activities for the last 21 days, she’s also raised over £11,000 for charity with photoshoots of her exploits.
These photoshoots included Luna – who has Down Syndrome – having driving
lessons, having a party, facing a fake hangover, and working from home, and people loved her sweet poses and outfits.
The tot, who is deaf in one ear, raised funds throughout May to support Together 21, a family-centred project based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, that supports children and young people with Down syndrome to acquire essential skills and progress through life.
Each day Luna’s mum Beth would get Luna all dressed up and have fun with her posing for a lockdown diary we can all relate to.
Beth, 34, a florist from Consett, County Durham said: ‘Luna is such a
sassy little diva, never did I ever imagine when I found out she had Down Syndrome that life would be like this, in the best way.
‘Everyone loves her, her grandparents are not afraid to say she is a favourite grandchild.’
Beth is currently 32 weeks pregnant, so this was a fun way the family could play together without being too physically straining on her – not to mention it’s for a great cause that’s close to the family’s heart.
‘The pictures will be absolutely great to look back on, my husband was
roped into a lot of it as well. Toddlers are not the easiest to work with.
‘I don’t think Luna was aware of what I was doing. I always try and do fun
things with her and dress her up and play so I think she just thought it
was another day.
‘Together 21 is a support and educational group. Children with Down’s Syndrome
have the potential to learn anything, it is early intervention.
‘I have been going with her since she was a newborn.
‘Typically with children you don’t need to teach them how to do things but children with Down syndrome, you have to teach them everything.
‘If no-one shows you these things you get knocked back a bit, this support
isn’t available on the NHS.’
The charity has now raised over £11,000 of a £20,000 target, and other families have been taking part in the Together 21 challenge too, tweaking it to fit their own needs and hobbies.
While it was all fun and games with Luna pretending to be an adult sunbathing and eating takeaways (something we’ve done way too much of this lockdown), it finished on a heartfelt note.
Luna dressed as a nurse to show appreciation from the NHS staff members that have been a big part of her life since she was little.
The challenge garnered hundreds of messages of support, with one person saying ‘We will miss our daily dose of Luna, thank you for making us smile each day during lockdown.’
Given these hard times we’ve had, seeing a little one enjoying themselves is bound to make us all feel a little lighter.
And for those families who might be looking for someone to talk to about life a child with additional support needs, Beth says that finding a community of parents in the same situation is key:;
She says: ‘I would say to anyone to just get in touch, speaking to people and mums in these early days, in your position, it is incredible. We are here to support you.’
To donate please visit the Virgin Money fundraising page.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/11/adorable-three-year-old-raises-11000-charity-lockdown-photo-diaries-12837796/
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