Tesco staff hold fight night to get Lexie a trike for Xmas

Staff from Tesco Banbridge, Portadown, Lurgan and Craigavon get ready for their Fight Night to raise funds to buy Lexie a trike for Christmas

Eight-year-old Lexie from Waringstown was diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder called 1Q44 Microdeletion when she was just one year old.

The disease causes her to have global development delay, epilepsy and hyper mobility, which makes getting about very difficult.

After years of buying Lexie different bicycles that weren’t suitable, her family discovered Moorings Mediquip in Ballymena after they visited her school, Ceara School in Lurgan.

Macs Boxing Academy Craigavon in Legahory who have been vital in helping the staff with their training

Rachel Kinnen from Craigavon Tesco Extra explained: “The trike they can provide Lexie is adapted to suit her needs and will grow with her for years to come. With this special trike it would enable her to feel safe and secure, to spend more time outdoors with her family and friends whilst giving her freedom and independence. It will also give her movement in her legs to help build up her strength so one day she will be able to pedal the trike herself instead of being in a buggy all day.

“This would mean the world to Lexie and her family and friends. The trike costs £3,500 and as her mother, Natalie is a colleague, we wanted to do something to help Lexie get her best Christmas present yet.”

After hearing Lexie’s story, Shauna Toman, manager of Craigavon Tesco Extra and dot com drivers, decided to get staff together and organise a Fight Night on Saturday, November 16 in the Seagoe Hotel to raise the funds.

Rachel continued: “She approached me and other staff from the Lurgan, Craigavon, Portadown and Banbridge stores and explained about Lexie and the trike - we all just couldn’t refuse.

“We have all been training hard twice a week at Mac’s Boxing Academy Craigavon in Legahory. It is run by Sean Mac and assisted by Ryan O’Hanlon. They have put in so much effort to help us train safely and enjoy every second if it. We just hope to raise at least £3,500 for Lexie’s trike and any money over that amount is going between the other charities that Tesco supports: Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK and British Heart Foundation.

“So we urge everyone to come along and give us their support...we’re going to need it!”

Tickets cost £10 and can be purchased in the Lurgan, Craigavon, Portadown and Banbridge stores or contact them on the Lexie’s Charity Fight Night facebook page. Doors open from 7pm with the first match at 8pm.

There will be a raffle on the night with a chance of winning some amazing prizes including a drinks hamper worth £120 donated by the dot com staff in Craigavon Tesco. Other prizes have been donated by local businesses such as free makeup applications to hair cuts and two hour house cleans.

They also have amazing vest tops that all the fighters will wear on that night which have been kindly donated by sponsors O’Neills store in Craigavon.

For those who cannot attend, you can donate at: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/shauna-toman?utm_term=WKBkK4EqB.

Lexie’s mum Natalie, clothing manager in Craigavon Tesco Extra added: “The support from my Tesco colleagues and local businesses has been overwhelming. The amount of time, effort and training that has gone into this event from everyone involved has been truly amazing and I am so grateful.”

Rachel concluded: “Also on behalf of all the Tesco staff who are fighting on the night we would like to thank Shauna for asking us to be involved and that she has done an amazing job in organising this event. Without her none of this would be happening and she deserves the recognition. Well done Shauna!”