A TEENAGE girl who is severely disabled has been given a helping hand.

Jade Beckwith was given a state-of-the-art wheelchair by staff at Huddersfield’s Odeon cinema, after their fundraising efforts.

And it is set to be a big boost for Jade and her family.

Since birth Jade, of Almondbury, has been registered blind and suffers from both cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

Several months ago Ruth Morley, her intervener at Castle Hill School in Newsome, was diagnosed with cancer and realised that she would be too weak to push 15-year-old Jade around in her manual chair.

She suggested Jade’s parents contact The Variety Club and make them aware of their daughter’s condition.

Odeon Cinemas have had a long-standing corporate partnership with The Variety Club and have helped them raise funds to buy Jade’s new specialised wheelchair.

Dad Craig said: “It has made a big difference already, it is so much easier to control than the manual chair.

“Sometimes certain pathways that claim they are wheelchair accessible aren’t always that way and it was proving a struggle for my wife to push her but now we have been on lots of walks and it is fantastic.”

Due to Jade’s conditions, the chair has to be controlled by her parents.

Her mum Tracy said it has made life easier and more comfortable for both Jade and the rest of the family.

She said: “It is a whole new lease of life for Jade and it makes it easier for us to do stuff as a family and we are so grateful.

“We cannot thank the Odeon and The Variety Club enough, they have been so generous.

“The new chair has also made it easier for our other two children Damien, 20 and Danielle, 18, who very kindly look after their sister one night a week, so we can come here and go to the cinema and spend some time together.”

The new Ottobock B400 wheelchair boasts a range of specialised features to help make life easier for Jade including a device to aid recovery from her frequent epilepsy seizures.

General manager Cliff Baillie said: “Last year Odeon cinemas nationwide raised at least £65,000 for their two chosen charities, The Variety Club and NSPCC.

“Since we have been associated with them we have raised £250,000 in different fundraising events including sky dives, fancy dress days and 70 runners are going to do the Great Yorkshire run.

“We are delighted that the money raised is going to a local girl.”

Fundraising events organised by Huddersfield Odeon included a 24 hours film-athon and a series of fancy-dress days.