Caring company boosts fundraising for Niamh

Caring company boosts fundraising for Niamh

Parents of a blind baby girl born with a rare eye condition have been given a boost by generous workers in their quest for ground-breaking treatment.

Staff at employment and training experts Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) dug deep after learning of efforts to raise funds for little Niamh Billington-Jones, who was born in January this year.

The family, from Acocks Green, Birmingham, was nominated for a donation by the company’s marketing director Paul King after friend Anthony Adcock, cousin of Niamh’s father Mark, told him about their plight.

Paul said: “Anthony told me that Niamh had been diagnosed with a rare condition called optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH), which means she is blind.

“Mark, Anthony and a group of friends embarked on a 151-mile fund raising cycle ride from Birmingham to Big Ben in London, along the Grand Union canal so I was keen to support the boys’ efforts to raise funds for little Niamh.”

It is hoped that enough money can be raised to enable Niamh to have therapy in the United States at some point in the future.

Paul added: “I was very touched when I heard about Niamh so I made the suggestion to our Payroll Giving scheme and was delighted when the company made a £500 donation to boost the fundraising.

“Sight is a fundamental thing we all take for granted and loss of any kind is devastating. We all hope we can make a difference to Niamh’s future quality of life.” 

The company has also recently been involved in helping fund a major refurbishment for Focus Birmingham enabling school leavers with sight loss to attend a new day care activity centre.

PPDG’s total donations to charities and good causes through its award winning payroll-giving scheme recently broke the £150,000 barrier. Around two thirds of employees are involved in payroll deductions that benefit others less fortunate in the community.