Submitted by george.somers@… on

 

Nik is an Army Chaplain, and lives in Surrey with his wife, Heidi, and his two daughters, Emilia and Adalina.

Six year-old Adalina has spina bifida, and is unable to use her legs. This doesn't hold her back, and she is an enthusiastic, energetic child who wants to race her friends in the playground and play tennis.

To be active and live life to the full, she needed wheelchairs that were fit-for-purpose, allowing her to grow up with the same experiences and opportunities as other children her age. However, these chairs can cost thousands of pounds, and the alternatives provided by local authorities often aren't up to scratch or cause pain when used for too long.

We were privileged to provide a grant towards a more comfortable, practical everyday wheelchair, as well as co-funding a specialist sports wheelchair with the help of another charity.

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Nik is wearing a grey shirt and a white clerical collar. Heidi is wearing a white t-shirt and a salmon jacket. They are stood outside, and Nik has his arm around Heidi.

What does your role as an Army Chaplain involve?

"There's quite a bit of being away from home. At the moment, for me, that's looking like lots of short trips away, but in the past, it has been longer placements. In one of my previous jobs, I was away from my family for six months.

It's exciting work and I love it, because every day is different. It's quite a secular calling in the sense that I'm not around Christians or a Church Ministry Team every day, so it is very different, but also so rewarding.

I'm responsible for the pastoral care and support for personnel. Sometimes that's religious, but not always. I carry out baptisms, funerals, services, and a lot of teaching on ethics, values and standards. No two days are the same."

How has the Trust helped you?

"We were going round in circles. The council couldn't provide a wheelchair because the minimum age was four, and Lina was two at the time. When they did assess her, it was for a chair designed for someone to push, not for them to be active or independent. It had a really high back, and made her so sore. She couldn't sit in it for more than half an hour.

Clergy Support Trust funded a more fit-for-purpose wheelchair, as well as a specialist sports wheelchair, and she started playing tennis. Not many people see children in such active wheelchairs that young. She's gained a lot of confidence as a wheelchair user from having a proper active chair.

She goes down to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, and they train there with Paralympic coaches. It's amazing seeing all these little kids in wheelchairs."

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Two sisters are holding hands. One is running, the other is using their wheelchair, as they race towards the camera.

"The wheelchair has been an absolute game changer. It's really quick. It turns. She keeps up with her friends in the playground."

"It really has changed Lina's life. It's been absolutely crucial for her, and given her a sense of self-confidence. Before she had the chair, she only really spoke to adults and she was really shy speaking to other children.

Now in the chair, some years later, she goes to school with her sister and gets into trouble for being too fast in the playground! She's having those normal childhood experiences that we want her to have. The fact that we were able to apply to the Trust for these very specialist seeming things has made all the difference."

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Nik, Heidi and their daughters are outside, in an autumnal setting, with brown trees and bushes behind them. They are holding hands.

Since we reopened in January, we've received over 1,000 applications from households in need, just like Lina and her family.

This Lent, we invite you to set up a regular gift, in a spirit of care and shared responsibility. For many supporters, a monthly gift is a simple and manageable way to give - spreading generosity across the year while staying connected to the difference it makes.

Your regular gift could help:

  • Provide assistive technology, restoring independence and dignity
  • Cover the cost of an educational psychologist assessment
  • Fund mental health support during times of crisis
  • Enable access to physical therapies

Help us to journey alongside over 2,700 households each year, to support them with the challenges they face, at Lent and throughout the year.

Donate to our Lent Appeal

 

Read more stories from our applicants

NOTES FOR EDITORS
Photography: Clergy Support Trust
Clergy Support Trust is the largest and oldest charity focussed on the wellbeing of clergy and their families. The Trust, originally founded in 1655, provides confidential help for Anglican clergy and their families across the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man, and Diocese in Europe. The Trust are confidential, independent, inclusive, and impartial, and we support clergy from training through to retirement. In 2025, we supported over 2,900 households with more than 7,000 grants.
For media enquiries, please email our External Relations team at hello@clergysupport.org.uk.