CLASSMATES of cerebral palsy sufferer Corey Cummings are planning a busy timetable of fundraising in a bid to help him walk.

The six-year-old, of Coate Water, cannot walk, but it is hoped an operation called a selective dorsal rhizotomy would enable him to gain the use of his legs.

The operation is available at Frenchay Hospital, in Bristol, but Corey has been refused the treatment on the NHS because it is not seen as cost effective. His family have appealed the decision and are waiting to hear from a team of specialists.

If the operation was carried out privately it would cost approximately £24,000, so the Cummings family have begun fundraising in case their appeal is rejected.

And now, teachers and children at Lawn Primary School are hoping to raise approximately £5,000 to help Corey get one step closer to his dream.

One of Corey’s teaching assistants, Marlene Scott, said: “It will definitely make a huge difference to Corey – we see him so much and as a school with around 420 children, we should be able to raise a lot of money.

“The whole school is behind us.

“Corey is just amazing, he has developed so much since starting school, his whole attitude has changed and his upper body is so strong – we do exercises with him three times a week and we make sure he walks on his K-frame.

“Every year that I have known him it gets to his birthday and he’s another year older, but he will say ‘I still can’t walk’, so it will be brilliant for him to have this operation.”

Two of Corey’s classmates, Zak Hanman and Zac Stride, have already helped towards the funds, with Zak raising £20 from car washes, and Zac donating his £5 pocket money the day after he heard about Corey’s plight.

Marlene said: “We all had tears in our eyes when Zac brought his pocket money in, we didn’t ask for any money or anything. Corey gave him a big hug and a thank you letter, it was lovely.”

Jenny Pearce, also Corey’s teaching assistant, said: “Corey loves maths, he gets really excited when the teacher says maths is up next. He also loves football, he plays in goal.

“Everyone in the school knows Corey, we will be going down the corridor with him and everyone will say hello to Corey and give him a high five, so he has a lot of support.”

The school will have a cake sale and a toy store at the Old Town festival on June 23, as well as a number of non-uniform days throughout the year.

More events are in the pipeline and the school is hoping to install a chart in reception to show its progress with fundraising.