We met the gorgeous 9 year old Amon, from Bayswater North in Victoria, at the end of November 2011.

Amon has cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs and he couldn’t stand or walk without support.  Amon’s CP severely affects his balance, even when sitting down and he had much difficulty in maintaining an upright position.

Amon needed a special supportive chair – a Smirthwaite Heathfield Chair – so that he could maintain a comfortable posture, which would greatly help him in using his hands for activities such as feeding himself and playing with his 7 year old sister.  These wonderful chairs are also adjustable and come with many accessories so that it could be adapted as Amon grew and his needs changed.

The cost of the chair was $2,257 and the Victorian Government’s SWEP program was contributing $500 – but this still left the family with a shortfall of $1,757

We really wanted to see Amon have his very own Heathfield Chair in time for Christmas and so we launched this appeal to help raise that $1,757.

Two days later we received a call from the International Order of Old Bastards (yes, you read that right) – they wanted to donate the entire amount needed! And so Amon’s appeal was started and finished before we even publicly launched it – lovely.

The IOOB has been active for in excess of thirty years. They have no religious, political, or other affiliations and have approximately 480 members who pay an annual subscription to belong. They come from all walks of life from judges advocates, solicitors, serving and ex policeman, businessmen, radio station marketing managers, tradesmen, and retired gentlemen etc. The sole purpose of the organisation is to provide assistance to those persons in our community who have found themselves in necessitous circumstances or at an unfair disadvantage.

We like them a lot.

And so too does Amon’s family.

P.S. – The child in this photograph is not Amon. Amon’s family asked us to use another child’s photo – which we gladly did.