Firefighters sponsored cycle to send young girl to Disneyland

Firefighters from Middlemoor will be getting on their bikes to help raise money for a young girl who was in a serious collision which sadly killed her dad.

They hope to raise enough money to send Amelia, aged 6 and her family to Disneyland Paris.

Amelia had been travelling in a campervan with her dad on the A38 when it collided with the rear of a stationary lorry. Amelia and her dad were returning from Cornwall having collected their van following some restoration work, they were on route back to their home in Basingstoke when the tragic collision occured.

Amelia’s dad was killed on impact and Amelia was trapped in the rear of the vehicle. Amelia was rescued from the van by a passing lorry driver who stopped and helped her.

Fortunately Amelia escaped with relatively minor injuries, which the Fire Service say is down to the quality of the child restraint system that had been fitted to the van. They also say that despite her young age, Amelia was well aware that her father had been killed on impact, resulting in a truly traumatic ordeal for the little girl, the mental scars of which will undoubtedly stay with her for a lifetime.

Explaining why they are doing the challenge, a spokesperson for the fundraiser said:
“Blue and Green Watch from Middlemoor Station were involved in this incident and have both agreed that we would like to do something to attempt to alleviate some of the anguish this poor family must be experiencing after this life changing event. Therefore we are organising a sponsored cycle ride over a two day period this September from Middlemoor Fire Station in Exeter to Basingstoke, where the family live, in an attempt to raise enough money to send the young girl and her family on an all-expenses paid holiday to Paris Disneyland.”

You can donate to Amelia’s Challenge on our Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/amelias-challenge.