Persimmon Homes has directed its charity funds this month towards a little girl from West Sussex, to help fund life-changing surgery.

Persimmon Homes Thames Valley has donated £1,000 to Just4Children though its Community Champions scheme, an initiative that match funds money raised by charities and social enterprises up to the value of £1,000.

The donation is for 4-year-old Annabelle Carter who has Cerebral Palsy in all four of her limbs and cannot sit unaided, stand unaided and cannot walk.

Just4Children are raising money for Annabelle to receive a life-changing operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR). SDR surgery corrects muscle spasticity by cutting the nerve rootlets in the spinal cord that are sending abnormal signals to the muscles. It is not available on the NHS for children with Annabelle’s level of cerebral palsy so her parents are required to self-fund and have been fundraising to help cover the costs.

Annabelle lives with her mum Rochelle, dad Simon and little sister Isla in Burgess Hill, in a new build property from Persimmon’s sister brand Charles Church.

Rochelle said: “Annabelle wants nothing more than to be able to run around the estate where she lives with all of the other children. She spends several hours each day doing therapy, to reduce the tone in her muscles and maintain the small amount of mobility she has while at the same time working on increasing her strength.”

“We are very grateful to Persimmon Homes for their kind donation. When we contacted them we were still £4,840 short of the £34,500 we needed to raise for the surgery alone – we hadn’t even begun to think about the costs of the intensive post op therapy she will need for the 2 years after surgery.”

“The £1,000 from Persimmon Homes Thames Valley (along with some other donations) has taken us to that magic total needed! Annabelle has been accepted for the surgery which can now take place in January. A weight has been lifted off our shoulders knowing surgery is covered and we can now focus on fundraising for her post op therapy.”

Rachel Faulkner, sales director for Persimmon Homes Thames Valley, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that our Community Champions funding helped the family reach their fundraising total.”

“The scheme seeks to support local good causes across the region. If groups and charities are unsuccessful with their application one month, we urge them to visit the Persimmon Homes website and to try again.”

To find out more information Community Champions, or to nominate a charity or organisation, visit https://www.persimmonhomes.com/community-champions.