A SHROPSHIRE group of volunteers, which provides accessible narrowboat holidays for disabled people, has received funding from a housebuilder to resurface a canal footpath, for wheelchair users.

The Lyneal Trust, based near Ellesmere, was handed £1,000 by Persimmon Homes West Midlands through its Community Champions scheme.

Peter Walters, who applied for the funding on behalf of Lyneal Trust, admitted they were delighted.

He said: “Patients in specially-designed wheelchairs have spoken about their discomfort when using the path while people in normal wheelchairs are having difficulty getting along the path because of the current surface.

“The funding will allow us to resurface the existing path and resolve this problem meaning that the wharf can be safely accessed by all users.

"We are very thankful to Persimmon Homes West Midlands for the donation.”

Each month the housebuilder donates up to £1,000 each to two groups or individuals each month.

The group offers accessible holidays on its specially built narrowboats for people with disabilities, illness, injury or any other vulnerability.

The group caters for approximately 2,000 beneficiaries each year, including patients at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital at Gobowen.

The boats are based on the Llangollen Canal, near Ellesmere, and the funding will be used to resurface an uneven path.

David Greengrass, head of sales for Persimmon Homes West Midlands, says they were delighted to help.

She added: “The Lyneal Trust provides a fantastic service for people and we are delighted to be able to support the group in this way.

“We have provided new homes in Ellesmere and believe it is important to support the local communities where we have built.

“If people were unsuccessful in their Community Champions application, we urge them to visit the Persimmon Homes website and to try again and hopefully they will become our next recipient.”

To nominate and to find out about the terms and conditions people can visit www.persimmonhomes.com/charity