How tea and cake will help £30,000 home adaptations for West Berkshire youngster with rare genetic condition

A family seeking to raise £30,000 to help a teenager who has a rare genetic condition are hoping Newbury’s residents will join them for tea and cake this Sunday.

Owen Murray was just 11 when he was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare progressive muscle wasting condition. There is currently no cure.

It is expected that the Stanford Dingley youngster could lose the ability to move without support when he is 15 – just two years time.

Right now, the family says he struggles to keep up with friends, tires easily, and needs a wheelchair for longer distances.

He is also expected to need support for breathing.

Owen’s mother, Amy, said he loves collecting anything to do with Star Wars, and is a huge adrenaline junkie, absolutely loving theme parks and fast rides.

Money raised from Sunday’s fundraiser will help adapt the home so Owen can use an electric wheelchair and have his own bedroom. Miss Murray said he loves to cook so would like to get an adapted kitchen so he can continue to do so.

While council grants will help with some of the work, it won’t cover the whole cost.

The Murrays have already raised £5,000 towards their total and, on Sunday, September 15, they will be seeking to add to that when they hold an afternoon tea event at Donnington Grove Hotel in Donnington.

In addition to the delicately cut sandwiches and tasty cakes, there will be an auction aimed at getting the family closer to their financial target.

Items have been donated from firms including Marwell Zoo, Newbury Racecourse, Bucklebury Farm, Camp Hopson, Highclere Castle and Renegade Brewery.

Tickets have sold out for the event, but people who wish to support Owen can make donations via https://www.gofundme.com/f/owens-duchenne-journey

Miss Murray said the response had been amazing.

“I'm really looking forward to Sunday and have been overwhelmed with all of the support I have received from both companies donating services and products, as well as all the people who have bought tickets for the event,” she said.

But Sunday won’t be the end for their efforts; work to adapt Owen’s home will be ongoing for some time yet.

“We are still waiting to move into our new house, which hopefully won’t be too much longer,” Miss Murray continued.

“The adaptations needed include a through the floor lift, widening all the doorways, resurfacing the driveway, the garden needs to be made accessible and a hoist and rails need to be installed.

“A lot of work needs to be done.”