Media Release

Royal Navy Dad thanks Yeovil Opportunity Group for helping his daughter by raising funds running Yeovil Marathon

When Royal Navy Helicopter Engineer Dan Cussans is clocking up the miles as he trains for the Yeovil Marathon on 11 June he has only one clear aim: to raise as much money as possible to support the Yeovil organisation which helped his daughter Josie in her pre-school years.

Dan is based with the Commando Helicopter Force at RNAS Yeovilton in 846 Naval Air Squadron where he works on Merlin helicopters. Dan and his wife came to the Yeovil Opportunity Group Pre-School in 2013 when Josie's health visitor recognised she had delays in reaching her development milestones and would need additional pre-school support.

Dan says, "We found the support and guidance from the Yeovil Opportunity Group invaluable and it really helped us with our daughter Josie who had such a challenging start in life. Because of this amazing support from YOG, which is a self-funded charity, I am running the Marathon to help to raise awareness and funds for them so they can go on to help other children like Josie and their families.

"Everyone thinks that being in the Royal Navy I must be super fit, but in fact it is quite a big leap to go from the requirements of the Royal Navy's fitness test of 1.5 miles, followed by a strength test, to completing a full marathon, but my colleagues are training with me and giving me loads of support."

Jane Lock, Chair of Trustees for Yeovil Opportunity Group which operates as a voluntary, committee run specialist pre-school provision and is a registered charity, said, "We are delighted that Dan is running the Yeovil Marathon to raise funds for YOG. Anything that helps to raise the profile of YOG and its work with both pre-school children and families, who have a variety of additional needs, is fantastic and we wish him every success."

To contribute to Dan's fundraising page, please go to:http://www.justgiving.com/YOG-Cussans

For more information about YOG, please visit:www.yog.org.ukor contact: Kim Duller, E/:kim@yog.org.ukor T/: 01935 384157

For more press information and a hi res image, contact Jane Adkins, A Head for PR, T/: 01935 813114 or M/: 07960698089 or E/:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Editor's Notes

Yeovil Opportunity Group is based at the Balidon Centre on Preston Road, Yeovil and aspires to continue to lead the way in pre-school education for children and families with additional needs after nearly 50 years; Yeovil Opportunity Group was amongst the first of its kind in the country to offer specialist support. It was founded by a paediatrician and a social worker who saw the need for therapy and learning through play and family support for children with special needs, aged 0-5 years.

Yeovil Opportunity Group works with both pre-school children and families, it offers time and space and many years of experience from a specialist and highly trained team.

The Group can consider taking any child, depending on theirs and/or the family's level of need. Although a referral is not necessary in order for a child to attend, referrals can come from GPs, health visitors, paediatricians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists as well as other pre-schools and nurseries

May 2017 (YOG 01)