TEENAGER Harley Humphreys and his mum, Lauren, paid a visit to the South Downs Heritage Centre in Hassocks to show off his new specially-adapted wheelchair to the founder of the charity who helped fund it.

The family, based in Burgess Hill, first approached the Budding Foundation in March 2017 after visiting the museum and learning about their work with local young people.

Harley, 12, who has cerebral palsy, was aged ten at the time and required a new specially adapted wheelchair costing £4,700.

NHS funding covered part of the cost, and the charity agreed to cover the shortfall of £2,300.

Harley required major hip surgery and therefore the wheelchair was put on hold for 18 months whilst this took place.

The wheelchair arrived just in time for Harley’s 12th birthday.

They met up with Clive Gravett, founder of the Budding Foundation and curator of the Budding Foundation Museum of Gardening, at the Brighton Road-based Heritage Centre, to thank him and show how happy Harley is with his new set of wheels.

Mum Lauren said: “This new chair has around five years’ worth of growth room, and is a perfect fit, meaning he can just sit in it without needing to be strapped in, and he’s in a much more comfortable position.

“The headrest has speakers built into it as Harley absolutely loves his music, and he can plug them into the computer whilst working at school too.

“It honestly is the best birthday present we could have ever asked for.”

The South Downs Heritage Centre is next to South Downs Nurseries, which opened in May 2016 in its current form.

It is home to The Museum of Gardening,