Three local friends who began organising the Wessex Truck Show will be helping to raise funds this weekend for four-year-old Isabel Freeman, from Paulton. The money raised will help buy a wheelchair-accessible sandpit and swing for Isabel, which could cost around £1,000, but will mean the youngster can play at home in her garden.

Readers may recall Isabel’s story, with a local fundraising campaign helping to buy and maintain a specialised wheelchair to help Izzy live her life to the full, have some independence and keep up with her friends.

Isabel’s mother, Karen Freeman, explains: “Isabel was diagnosed with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) when she was sixteen-months-old. It’s a degenerative, genetic, life-limiting, muscle-weakening condition that has no cure.

“It is caused by a lack of protein in the muscles. When Isabel wasn’t quite a year old, we noticed she wasn’t bearing any weight on her feet, so we took her to the hospital for tests, which was when we received the diagnosis.”

“We want Izzy to continue being independent, so we’ll landscape our garden and get a wheelchair-accessible sandpit and a swing for her.

“Her condition means this equipment has to be specialised but if we raise enough, it will let her be her happy, positive self. She can’t go to a normal park so misses out on playing on the equipment.

“We are truly grateful for the Wessex Truck Show thinking of Isabel and for all of the work that goes into such a big event.”

The Wessex Truck Show began six years ago, originally with four organisers, but now with three – friends, Paul Cosh, from Midsomer Norton, (C&N Commercials), Dave Cross, (J.F Pearce & Sons), and Mark Parsons, from Holcombe, from the company Darren Moore.

Each year, one of the Directors chooses a charity for money raised at the truck show to be donated to. Paul Cosh explains: “This year, it was my turn to choose a charity, and I’ve been on the lookout for a cause locally that we could support for a while.

“I heard about Isabel, and decided that hers was a cause we had to support. I got in touch with the family, and it all went from there!

“We are hoping that truck manufacturers will contribute over the weekend and the public will be supportive, with funds raised with bucket collections and car washes. Last year’s show raised around £3,000 for Macmillan – it would be wonderful if we could donate this kind of figure again.

But we’ll need the public’s support.”

The Wessex Truck Show takes place this Saturday and Sunday, 11th and 12th of August, at Yeovil Showground. When it first began, the event had 250 trucks in attendance. Now it has grown to 600, selling out to those wanting to show their trucks within an hour and 40 minutes – making it the fastest-selling truck show. There will be trade stands, a full funfair, live music all weekend, a kids’ zone and main arena displays.

Tickets are available for this weekend’s event at: www.wessextruckshow.co.uk online ticket sales close this Friday at 6 p.m., with tickets then available on the gate.

Readers can also follow Isabel’s story by liking the page, ‘Isabel SMAshing SMA’ via Facebook.