As some of you know, I have a visually impaired 16 year old son, Thomas. As I previously mentioned, he has an unamed syndrome that mainly affects his vision, but also his growth (6'9" now) and various other things. He has had an amazing year, as despite all the hospital appointments he is required to attend for his various problems he has managed (somehow) to pass all of his GCSEs. Wow a massive acievement in view of the fact that he missed so much schooling over the last 5 years.
I was and am incredibly proud of him. However we currently have a major problem! This is a bit of a long story, but will put you in the picture.During Easter he was invited to attend a revision course at an RNIB college. I sent him along for the 4 days, for which he cursed me all the way there, "Why Mum it's the holidays? etc etc". However he absolutely fell in love with the place and 4 days later didn't want to leave. He himself asked if he would be able to attend there for 6th form studies. Following an assessment in July at the college he was duly offered a place. We knew that the late application for funding would cause some issues with the relevant bodies but none the less, with the help of an advocate, jumped through the necessary hoops at great speed. With the promise of funding pending we dropped him off at the school, a 2 hour drive away, last Monday. As we arrived, the head informed us that the offer of funding by the appropriate government sector had been withdrawn owing to the fact that he was still statemented with the education authority. The school said that he could stay while we tried an alternative route to source the £81,000 needed to keep him there for 2 years. Back to the education authority and through more hoops and still nothing! Despite the fact that all local colleges have agreed that they are unable to i) support him and ii) offer him the same A level courses aswell as living skills and mobility skills, it still appears that the funding is not going to be made available and he will fall through the net! The case is being presented again on Thursday and should it fail he will have to leave the school on that day and believe me it wil break his heart. I am obviously determined not to let this happen and have spoken to the governors about the option of funding it privately. Obviously I wish I had that sort of £ but sadly not. Therefore my days and nights are taken up writing letters requesting donations of £81 from 1000 people. A task and a half when there are so many fraudsters doing the same thing.
What I therefore was wondering was whether or not any of you guys could think of other ways in which I could raise this, any companies, celebrities who you think may help etc etc. I can't think...for thinking. I have contacted a TV show here in the UK to air our views as to the way in which the system is failing people but their research etc takes time, something we are rapidly running out of.
Please let me know if you have a thought...
Many thanks
Maxine x
Have a good think about if there is anything completely bizarre you could do, which would be bound to gain attention, that's what I would do. Good luck. 
Dominique for your kind words. As for your ideas Karen, not bad at all, certainly a way of getting attention for the right or wrong reaons 
but having had 3 children I might leave the naked bit to someone else! It's not Greenpeace that I want to take notice after all! 
