A 46-YEAR-OLD Monkton man will be putting his best foot forward on Bank Holiday Monday to help raise funds to provide a special schoolroom for an autistic Pembroke Dock boy.
Paul Lloyd, of School Terrace, will be running from Pembroke Dock to Tenby and back in a bid to help meet the projected £2,000 cost of a facility to enable four-year-old Lee Bearne, of 43 High Street, Pembroke Dock, to be taught at home.
"Up to six months ago Lee didn't even have any language," his mother Sally-Ann told the Observer this week.
"He is now on a one-to-one verbal behaviour programme from America, which has seen him really come on.
"However, because we've only got a two-bedroomed house it's more difficult and the idea is to provide a self-contained schoolroom in the garden where he can have all the stimulus he needs to develop his language and social skills."
Sally-Ann said that Lee was also attending Jumping Beans Nursery in Pembroke Dock with a 'Helping Hand' and it was hoped that he would be able to be integrated into mainstream education in the future.
"At the moment he wouldn't survive in mainstream setting or in a special autistic unit," she said.
Part of the cost of the special schoolroom will be funded by the local education authority, but the family still have to find some £2,000 themselves and they have been overwhelmed by the offers of help and support they've already received.
"Lots of people have offered to do sponsored events, while Regent Windows in Johnston have offered to give us four windows and a door for the building.
"Wales Today newsreader Jamie Owen, who I was in school with, has even offered to come down and be guest speaker if we can arrange a dinner-dance or something.
"We're so grateful for all the support, particularly from Paul, who will really be getting the fund-raising underway with his run."
Paul will be setting off from Lee's home in High Street at around 12 noon on Whit Monday and will run to Tenby via Pembroke, Lamphey, Manorbier, Lydstep and Penally.
On reaching Tenby Leisure Centre he will turn up Gumfreston, returning to the Co-op, Pembroke Dock, via Sageston and Milton - an overall distance of around 26 miles.
A bottle of whisky has also been put up as a prize for the person to guess how long the marathon will take Paul.
"Paul is an experienced runner and very kindly offered to help us out, " said Lee's grandmother and Paul's sister-in-law, Gwyneth Lloyd.
Sponsorship forms and further details are available from Sally-Ann on (01646) 681920 (after 6 pm) or from Gwyneth at Shoezone, Pembroke Dock, on (01646) 686759.