A major fundraising event is to be held to help ice skater Callum Mills compete at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria, in March.

Callum, (18), a member of Sutton’s Lammas Ice Skating Club, was selected for the GB team last year and his family have been raising money since.

So far they have raised around £500 towards the £2,000 needed to send him to Austria.
A fundraising disco event will be held at the Festival Hall, Kirkby, on Saturday, 28th January, from 7pm to midnight.

Callum’s proud mum, Michelle Mills, said: “Myself and my fiancé, Shaun Foulkes, are so proud of Callum and his achievements through his sheer hard work and determination.

“For him to be selected to represent his country is very exciting and he has said he will do his very best for not only himself, but for the whole team.”

Callum, a pupil at The Beech Academy, Mansfield, will be part of a team of athletes with intellectual (learning) disabilities. It will be his third Special Olympics.

There will be 11 alpine skiers and 10 figure skaters representing GB at the sporting showpiece, which will be staged in Schladming, Graz and Ramsau am Dachstein. from 14th to 25th March.

Almost 3,000 Special Olympics athletes from 110 nations will compete in nine Olympic-type winter sports.

Callum has CHARGE syndrome, which affects his hearing and balance, as well as a heart condition. He first took to the ice aged 12 after his mum thought it would help to improve his co-ordination and stability.

Since then, he has gone on to win gold medals in inclusive skating at two consecutive Special Olympics.

Callum practises around five times a week before and after school. That includes training sessions with his coach, Kelly Shinfield, at the Lammas ice rink.

The family thanked “every single person who has helped him on his journey so far.”

Tickets for the disco fundraising evening at the Festival Hall, Kirkby, are priced £5 for adults, £2.50 for children, and organisers are also looking for raffle prizes. Tickets can be bought from Michelle on 07800 987445.