Shannon Ward, a fifteen year old teenager from Bulwell, Nottingham has received a new, state-of-the-art, powered wheelchair to help boost her mobility, thanks to the joint fundraising efforts of customers and staff at Cashino adult gaming centre on High Street in Hucknall.

Shannon, who lives her with mother Deborah and her brother Sonny, suffered a significant head injury following a road accident and has since seen permanent changes to her life. Shannon suffers from Ataxia, a condition which has left her with problems with her movement, balance, speech and memory, meaning she is unable to be safe in an outdoor environment.

Cashino, which operates 155 adult gaming centres across the country, is one of the main fundraisers for CHIPS, a charity set up on behalf of the casino and gaming industry, which aims to provide specialised powered wheelchairs for children with severe mobility problems.

The new state-of-the-art, powered chair was presented to Shannon at the High Street Cashino in Hucknall and will help make her life easier and allow her to safely access the outside and her community.

Shannon’s mother, Deborah, said: “I would like to say a big thank you to Cashino and the CHIPS Charity for all their helping in making this happen. This wheelchair has really made Shannon’s day.”

Wanda Kidd, Cashino area manager, added: “Shannon is a very brave girl and is so deserving of this wheelchair. It is great to see how much happiness it has brought to her and her family, and that makes the fundraising effort from all of our staff and customers throughout our estate certainly worth it.”

Co-founder of the CHIPS charity Linda Lindsay said: “It is so important for CHIPS that our donors see the results of their hard work and we try to ensure that all the recipients are local to where the funds have been raised. Cashino have been amazing and have donated £110,000 in the last 12 months, allowing CHIPS to provide 17 powered wheelchairs up and down the country.”

To date CHIPS has raised over £1,000,000 and presented over 400 wheelchairs to children throughout the UK.

Back (L-R) Cashino area manager Wanda Kidd, CHIPS co-founder Linda Lindsay, Cashino supervisor Joanne Mayes & key holder Jenny Chamberlain with Midshires specialist rehab products owner James Barnfield
Front (L-R) Shannon Ward and her mother Deborah Ward.