Efforts carry on as Jodie recovers Sheffield Star 21/01/06

A DISABLED Barnsley youngster battling for the right to go to a Sheffield school is today in hospital recovering from yet another major operation.

Since the day she was born 13 weeks premature, young Jodie Beamont, now aged 12, has undergone 41 operations. She has just endured five hours of surgery to try to correct muscles and bones in her legs and ankles. Jodie suffers from cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and has epilepsy. She is expected to remain in Barnsley hospital for several more days and take weeks to recover. Today her mum and family members said they were continuing their efforts to raise £18,000 a year to send Jodie to the school in High Green her mum insists she needs. Jodie's local education authority has refused to pay for her to attend Paces, a school that teaches conductive education designed specifically for children with Jodie's condition, so her family must find the cash themselves. Just days before her operation Jodie, of Butterton Close, Mapplewell, was at Wombwell swimming pool to cheer on her cousin, nine-year-old Brendan Deakin, who raised £166 by swimming 500 metres. Other fundraising events are now being planned. Today her mum Sandra Scattergood said: "Jodie is in a great deal of pain, but is being as brave as ever. "The operation was to try to straighten her legs and her ankle which is turned in. She was in agony today and has a plaster from her hip to her ankle, but she's a battler and we owe it to her to continue our fight to get the money to send her to the school we feel is best for her. "It was wonderful of her cousin to swim what is a long way for him and we hope other people are also inspired by Jodie's courage and Brendan's efforts to help us raise the money we need to send her to a school where she has come on so much." From the age of five Jodie went to Barugh Green Primary School where she remained in the reception class. But when Jodie was 11 and was due to go to Greenacres Special School in Barnsley, Sandra heard about Paces. The local education authority turned down Sandra's application to fund Jodie's place at the specialist school and she lost a subsequent appeal, but Paces offered her a one-year bursary. Sandra says moving to Paces has transformed Jodie's young life, but the bursary has run out and she must now raise the school fees herself if Jodie to remain there. A charity auction is planned at Brooklands Hotel.

Jodie's big evening Sheffield Star 26/04/06


Jodie: Operations

A MASSIVE fundraising event will be staged in Barnsley next month to hep raise money to allow a young girl to go to the special school her family says she desperately needs Jodie Beaumont suffers from cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and has epilepsy. In the 12 years since her birth she has endured more 40 operations. Now her mum is facing another battle - to raise £18,000-a-year to send Jodie to the school she insists she needs.From the age of five Jodie went to Barugh Green Primary School where she remained in the reception class. But when Jodie was 11 and was due to go to Greenacres Special School in Barnsley, Sandra heard about the specialist school, Paces, in High Green, Sheffield which has a teaching programme designed specifically for children with Jodie's condition. The local education authority turned down Sandra's application to fund Jodie's place at the specialist school and she lost a subsequent appeal, but the school did offer her a one year bursary. Sandra, from Butterton Close, Mapplewell, says moving to that school has transformed Jodie's young life. Now the bursary has run out and she is hoping to raise the school fees herself so Jodie can continue to attend Paces. On May 11 at Brooklands Hotel a charity evening will be held to raise money for that appeal. There will be a blondie tribute band, a rock band, DJ and charity raffle and auction. "There are some wonderful prizes" said Sandra. Tickets for the event can be obtained from Brooklands on 01226 299571.

Mother's pride as TV show helps daughter Sheffield Star 17/01/07


Help us to help Jodie: Mum Sandra with Jodie, aged 13, who she wants to be able to attend a special school Picture: Dean Atkins

"'I believe so strongly the school is the only one for Jodie I was prepared to ask anyone and everyone for help'" - Mum Sandra Scattergood
By By Gail Robinson

A DEVOTED Barnsley mum has made an emotional appearance on television to beg five millionaires for cash to help her disabled daughter. Sandra Scattergood appeared on ITV's Fortune: Million Pound Giveaway last night, asking for financial help to enable her 13-year-old daughter Jodie to go to a private school for children with cerebral palsy. The show, watched by millions, ended with 49-year-old Sandra, most of the audience and several of the millionaires in tears when they promised to hand over cash for Jodie. Just seconds before walking into the studio Sandra, from Butterton Close, Mapplewell, was told by producers that a mystery benefactor had agreed to pay half the £51,700 fees. She had just one minute to tell the panel why they should pay the other half of the fees to allow Jodie to attend the Paces School in High Green until she is 16. The panel were author and former politician Jeffrey Archer, Scottish entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne, Ann Summer's founder Jacqueline Gold, Crystal Palace Chairman and owner Simon Jordan and the MOBO's founder Kanya King. After talking about Jodie for 60 seconds a nervous and visibly shaking Sandra answered the panellists' questions - and all five agreed to give the money to Jodie. Jacqueline Gold told Sandra: "You are a mum in a million." This morning, back home in Barnsley, an emotional Sandra said: "No one really wants to go on national television and beg. "But I believe so strongly that that is the only school for Jodie I was prepared to ask anyone and everyone for help. When it is your child and it means so much there is nothing you will not do. "We raised funds to keep Jodie at that school last year, but without this show we could not have kept her there this year - that decision from those five strangers to help us will transform our lives. "It was an ordeal, standing in front of those famous people with cameras pointing at me, I was shaking with nerves and fear. "But it was something I would go through again and again for Jodie. It was an amazing evening."
By Gail Robinson

TV appeal wins Jodie special school funding Sheffield Star 19 January 2007

TV appeal: Sandra Scattergood and Jodie Picture: Dean Atkins




SHE was described on national television as a 'mum in a million' but Sandra Scattergood says she is just an ordinary mother and it is her 13-year-old daughter Jodie Beaumont who is the true star. Sandra appeared on the television show Fortune: Million Pound Giveaway and persuaded five millionaires to fund Jodie's place at a special school for cerebral palsy sufferers. The 49-year-old single mum fought back tears to tell the celebrity panel why they should spend their own money to help Jodie and they all agreed to help. But although Sandra, from Mapplewell, admits begging for help on national TV was hard and traumatic, she insists it is nothing compared with what 13-year-old Jodie has gone through. Since the day she was born 13 weeks prematurely, Jodie has battled for life. Suffering from cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and epilepsy, she has endured 40 operations and is due for another complicated procedure on her spine within the next few months. From the age of five Jodie went to Barugh Green Primary School. Sandra said: "Jodie enjoyed her time there and was very happy. At that point that's all I really hoped for - somewhere where she was happy." But when Jodie was eleven, and due to go to Greenacres Special School in Barnsley, Sandra heard about Paces, a specialist school in High Green with a teaching programme designed specifically for children with Jodie's condition. Sandra said after starting at Paces Jodie came on in "leaps and bounds" so she pleaded with Barnsley education authority to fund Jodie's place at the private school. The LEA turned down Sandra's application and she lost a subsequent appeal. But thanks to the school, Jodie was offered a bursary for a year. Sandra said: "It transformed Jodie's young life." Last year when the bursary ran out Sandra set about raising the school fees herself - but only raised enough to pay until the end of last year. She said: "I was at my wits end, then out of the blue I was contacted by the producers of the programme and asked if I wanted to appear and ask for financial help. I didn't relish the thought, but I would have asked anyone to help Jodie so I agreed to go on." That programme was recorded in December and broadcast on Tuesday night. Sandra said: "There was just £1,000 left in our funds. Then the producers told me a benefactor was offering half the £51,700 and the millionaires had all agreed to fund the other half. It will pay for Jodie's place at school until she is 16. It was staggering and unbelievable."