Dig Deep And Donate: Let’s Make ‘A Bath For Kessie’ Happen!

Published on: 11 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 11 Sep, 2018

A crowd funding campaign has been set up to raise much-needed funds to buy a Guildford mum a special bath for her daughter who needs 24-hour care.

The fund has been set up by Su Johnson after she read our recent story Single Mum of Children with Disabilities Seeks Help to Raise Funds for a Special Bath.

Kessie and Iris. You can donate towards a special bath for her now!

The original call came from Trisha Stanton, a family support worker at Guildford Action for Families. Iris Mukasa is a single mum with three children. They live in social housing in a specially adapted house in Bushy Hill, Guildford. Currently there is only a shower in the house. Her eldest child Kessie is 10 years old.

Kessie has a condition called Rett’s Syndrome, which has very many debilitating symptoms. She is unable to do anything for herself and requires 24-hour care.

Her middle child, Troy, has autism spectrum disorder. He is essentially non-verbal, has ongoing sensory needs and ongoing challenging behaviour with no awareness of danger among other things. Her youngest child Niall is just three, and is well and healthy and full of energy!

In the previous story Trisha said: “She [Iris] and I have spoken to the council who will not put a bath in on the grounds that a shower is sufficient for the needs of the children. The council’s occupational therapist has said the same.”

Single mum Iris Mukasa from Bushy Hill, Merrow, with her three children.

The first person to comment on our story was reader Adam Aaronson. He wrote: “I am appalled that the council are not prepared to fit a bath, on the grounds that a shower is sufficient. It is quite clear from your report, that a bath is necessary in these special circumstances.

“Caring for one disabled child is difficult enough for any family. Bringing up two disabled children as a single parent is a tremendous challenge for anyone and in my view the council should be doing everything possible to make it easier for Iris Mukasa and to enable her children to develop rather than placing obstacles in their way.

“I have just posted a link to this article on Twitter and also on Facebook in the hope that someone will start a crowdfunding programme and as soon as there is one in place I will be happy to set the ball rolling with a donation of £50.”

Su picked up on the story and has met with Guildford Action for Families to make the necessary arrangements for the fund raising campaign. The bath will be expensive. Iris has two quotes varying between £6,000 and £7,000. She has put aside £500 of her own money towards it.

Now people can donate. Go to: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/a-bath-for-kessie/

Already £445 (and of September 10, 2018) has been pledged. Su, who works for Crowdfunder.co.uk, says: “It’s on an ‘all or nothing’ basis. That’s nerve-racking, but we know that projects on a ‘keep what you raise’ basis tend not to do so well.

“Crowdfunder is not taking any fees for this, so Kessie won’t lose out. Usually we just accept that extra money is made and given straight to the projects – a nice side-effect if you will.”

Su Johnston has set up the crowd funding campaign on behalf of the Musaka family. Su is a director of Grace & Flavour, the organisation that manages the allotments at Hatchlands Park, on behalf of the National Trust in the walled community garden.
Picture credit: professional Images. https://www.professional-images.com/

Su’s response as to why she has got involved was: “Single word answer – community. I know and trust Adam Aaronson. He spotted it and knows that I know a bit about crowdfunding.

“The other qualities in my character that made me respond are less attractive I’m afraid! I have a bit of a temper and I’m competitive. It’s outrageous that someone in our community is struggling to bathe her kids and it made me very angry when I read it. As soon as I saw Adam’s challenge I couldn’t help but rise to it.”

Su explained about the fund-raising initiative: “Rewards-based crowdfunding is a recognised model. People donate to charitable causes all the time, but rewards-based crowdfunding gives us a chance to change the conversation a bit. It gives local businesses a chance to donate, whilst getting something in return (greater awareness, PR, even access to a friendly test market) and it’s often easier for a business to donate their goods than cash.

“It’s also the case that pledgers get something in return so it’s not just ‘yet another good cause’. That makes it much more of a win win and less of a ‘handout’ and everyone feels more comfortable about that. It’s also the case that the average value of a pledge tends to be (much) higher than a pure donation-based crowdfunder. So you need fewer of them! Pure donations are welcome and it’s clear that they can be made too.

“I work with local authorities and brands to get them to match fund great ideas that are happening in their area, which they just no longer have the budget to support.

“We’d like to ask business-owning Guildford Dragon NEWS readers to donate rewards for the pledges. The Guildford Bike Project has added a cycle service and Plantpassion, the British Flower Farm in Clandon, has donated flowers.

“I care passionately about community and I’m a Christian. I’m a founder member of Grace & Flavour, the community garden in West Horsley and I work part-time for Crowdfunder.”

The Guildford Dragon NEWS will be donating £50 – so come on readers, and businesses too, come and get involved.

Click here to take a look now at the Crowdfunder website set up for Kessie.

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