All little Macie Boden wants to do is be able to play like the other children.
The four-year-old from Newhall has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair and she loves nothing more than being with her friends at school.
When it comes to playtime Macie longs to be able to join her friends outside in the school playground, but she can't because can't get on to the raised area in her wheelchair.
But now the youngster's family, friends and teachers at Newhall Infant and Nursery School plan to change all that.
They are aiming to raise £25,000 so changes can be made so Macie's dream will come true and she can join her school pals for playtime.
Macie was born on July 13, 2013 a normal, healthy baby. But in October that year, when she was just 11 weeks old, Macie suffered a 'life-threatening episode', which is the sudden occurrence of alarming symptoms, such as not breathing, changing colour or gagging in children under the age of one.
The episode left Macie unconscious as her distraught parents, Kirsty, 22, and Richard, 22, rushed her to Burton Queen's Hospital before she was transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital.
When Macie regained consciousness she had been left with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The cerebral palsy affects all her limbs, meaning she is now wheelchair-bound.
She undergoes regular physiotherapy sessions and the family have even had to move house so they can accommodate Macie properly.
Today Macie loves school and looks forward to going each day, her parents say.
When they were considering schools for her to go to, they looked at special educational needs schools, as well as mainstream ones.
However, Kirsty was determined to send Macie to a mainstream school, as while she is physically disabled, she is a very bright young girl and her mum did not want her education to be affected.
She said: "We went round a number of schools but when we came to look at Newhall Infants and Nursery, the staff all bent over backwards for her. We knew instantly that she would be happy here and she is.
"All the staff always comment on how clever she is, how beautiful her smile is and on her cheeky laugh.
"Macie is thriving at school but she cannot access any of the outdoor equipment so the school is looking to build an inclusive special needs playground, not only for Macie but for all the children in school to use too and a place where she can safely play with her friends."
However, when the children go outside to play, Macie is left out as she cannot access the outdoor equipment.
Kirsty said: "She can't access the play equipment the others can play with but she does have a special needs trike that she can play with.
"She also has bubbles and ribbons that she can play with in her chair.
"She does get agitated that she can't go up on the climbing frame but she's never known any different. I guess she's used to it, which is quite sad actually."
Macie started school in September 2017 and received one-to-one support from specially qualified members of staff at the school.
With this support, she can access most parts of the curriculum, but there are still some things that she cannot do. This includes the outdoor play area, complete with a slide, climbing frame and other play equipment.
While she cannot go and play with her friends, Macie can still have fun at her play times, as staff have found ribbons and toys that she can play with in her chair.
The school is now looking into the possibility of building a new accessible playground in the place of the current one so that Macie, and other disabled children in the future, can join in and play with their friends.
The work is expected to cost around £25,000 to complete, and the school is looking into options for funding.
Head teacher, Neil Loftus, said: "It is fantastic how the school community is rallying around to support the school in this project.
"The project is being partly funded by Derbyshire County Council and the school but we have had to seek support from the wider community to fund the whole project.
"Since I wrote to the parents to launch the appeal, there have been numerous offers and ideas to raise money. It's amazing how people will rally round to support a good cause.
"Macie has settled into our school so quickly and has made fantastic progress socially and academically. She is supported in all she does and can access most areas of the curriculum.
"It is just a shame at playtime and lunchtime she cannot join her friends who are playing on the outdoor play equipment.
"We want to build an inclusive playground where Macie can play alongside her friends and peers. We have identified an area to develop this project and the equipment needed. All we need to do now is raise the money!
"I would like to say a big thank you to Macie's parents Kirsty and Richard, and all the parents and members of the local community who have helped launch this appeal with such enthusiasm."
The school community has been rallying round to raise money for the project, and Kirsty says other parents have been extremely supportive of the plans.
The school is organising an prize draw for Easter, which is does every year, and the money raised from selling raffle tickets will be added to the fund.
The school has already sold 1,000 tickets and staff are hoping to raise a record-breaking £2,000 to kick-start their fund-raising efforts.
Parents of other children at the school have also got involved in raising money and have organised their own challenges.
Jemma Simpson, who has a son at the school, will be doing a sponsored abseil down the 110m Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth in May and will be donating all the money she raises to the appeal.
Another parent, Nikki Guest, owns The Little Florist in High Street, Swadlincote, and has organised a raffle for customers to win one of three specially made Mothers' Day bouquets.
Kirsty said: "We are so grateful to everyone who is helping us with this appeal. All we want is for Macie to be able to play with her friends, just like any other of the pupils at the school.
"She's a really special little girl so hopefully we can do something special for her."
Anyone who wants to support the appeal can donate by visiting the GoFundMe page or by getting in touch with Newhall Nursery and Infants School.
Things parents need to know
What is cerebral palsy?
The NHS says cerebral palsy is the name for a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination, caused by a problem with the brain that occurs before, during or soon after birth.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are not usually obvious just after a baby is born and normally become noticeable during the first two or three year's of a child's life.
Parents are urged to get in touch with their GP if they notice their child is delayed in reaching development milestones, have weak arms or legs or have trouble swallowing or speaking.
There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy, but treatments are available to help people with the condition have a normal and independent a life as possible.
Treatments include physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy or medication for muscle stiffness or other difficulties.
