UK Landscape Photographer of the Year winner from Angmering launches 2024 calendar, raising money for his paraplegic son
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Charlie’s Calendar is back for its sixth year, with every copy sold raising vital funds for Jamie's son, eight-year-old paraplegic Charlie Fielding. The target this year is to buy Charlie a new Triride E-bike.
Jamie explained: "It's an amazing bit of kit which will give him all the freedom of his current Triride but so much more in terms of exercise, which is vital to keeping him fit, strong and healthy. And best of all, it's great fun once he got the hang of it!
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Hide Ad"Charlie is a year and a half out of his leukaemia treatment and doing well, which is amazing news, but his spinal cord injury is a lifetime thing we will be living with. The hand-powered bike will attach to his wheelchair and he can pedal it manually or use it as an e-bike if he gets tired.
"After three years of treatment, it has taken a physical toll so we are doing a lot to build up his strength and fitness, and that is part of the idea. It is another means of him being able to exercise and it is also good fun to be out on a bike, like other children, along the prom in Worthing and Littlehampton."
Charlie was left a paraplegic at the age of 18 months after suffering a bleed on his spinal cord in 2016. This was caused by a rare birth defect and Charlie spent the next two years rehabilitating.
Just as his strength and abilities were improving and he was adapting to his new life, he was dealt a second devastating blow. Just before his fourth birthday, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
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Hide AdIn 2022, after three long, arduous years, Charlie finally finished his chemotherapy and is now able to fully focus on physio and hydro therapy treatments. All proceeds from calendar benefit his therapy and equipment needs.
The calendar costs £12 and can be ordered at www.jamiefieldingphotography.com/shop/p/charlies-calendar-2024. Grub and Gumption in Sea Road, East Preston, has also agreed to stock the calendar. To find out more about Charlie's journey, follow Charlie's Story on Facebook.
Jamie was recently Highly Commended in the UK Landscape Photographer of the Year competition and his picture of Littlehampton has been included in the 2023 book.
He said he was 'chuffed to bits' and 'humbled to line up' with the other incredible photographers who won categories and were commended in the competition.
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Hide AdThis picture has not been included in the calendar but it is an indication of the quality of photography Jamie produces. The Littlehampton picture will, however, be going on the national railway station exhibition tour, beginning at Paddington at the end of November and culminating in an exhibition at Waterloo.