By Melina Cannon

ABBEY Golf Club members raised £3,000 for a specialist piece of equipment which will help improve the quality of life for people with cerebral palsy.

The "lifting stander", which is remote-controlled and hydraulically operated, is now in place at Millfields, Middlehouse Lane, and is being used by James Hopper.

Les Roxborough, who has recently completed his term as captain at the Bordesley club, said: "He suffers from cerebral palsy and, as a result, is confined to long periods lying prone.

"But the lifting stander allows him to gain an upright position which is important to his long-term health prospects."

Mr Roxborough first made contact with Millfields staff during his years as vice-captain.

He added: "They were in the early stages of raising funds to buy a stander, a specialist piece of equipment which is fundamentally important to the work done at the centre when working to improve the quality of life experienced by clients who have cerebral palsy.

"It replaces the old equipment which has become inadequate for the purpose.

"It is a well-supported tradition for a golf club captain to select a charity to benefit from the results of his fund-raising activities during his term of office and it was my choice to support the efforts of Millfields staff to fund the purchase of this equipment."

Senior day centre officer Jane Nicholls said: "Millfields would like to thank Abbey Golf Club for all their hard work in fund-raising and for the generous donation which has enabled us to but a prone stander."

l Right: Angela Steane, Sheila Watkins, Jane Nicholls, James Hopper, David Cooper, Don Gerrard, Les Roxborough and Don Baker.