A WEST Somerset family whose lives were devastated when their son contracted meningitis and septicaemia are planning a fundraising bonanza for the organisation that has given them hope for his future.

Jack Coldicott was taken ill and rushed into hospital when he was just ten days old.

The streptococcus B infection which took hold of his tiny body left him brain injured, suffering the effects of a stroke down one side, unable to feed and with severely damaged eyesight.

But when Jack celebrates his second birthday in April at his East Quantoxhead home, his parents Joanne and James and four-year-old sister Liberty believe they will have a Somerset charity to thank for his incredible progress.

Jack has been attending the Taunton Opportunity Group, a pre-school for children with additional needs, twice weekly since he was just a few months old.

The care he has received has helped his eyesight improve, enabled him to regain much of the use of his right-hand side and although he is still tube-fed, to begin to cope with some finger foods orally.

And his parents hope that a coffee morning at their home next Friday (January 28) in aid of TOG will go some way towards showing their gratitude to the organisation.

"The team at TOG has been absolutely fantastic - and it isn't just Jack they have helped," said Joanne.

"It's been a very stressful time and although friends and family have been great, they're not actually going through it in the same way.

"We've been able to talk to other families whose children have a range of difficulties, which has been great.

"The people at TOG have always been there for us, giving us information and reassurance, as well as emotional support and it's also been possible to see most of the experts while Jack is there, which means not having to make extra trips all the time.

"This is the only group of its kind left in the county - the one in Minehead closed, and the one in Bridgwater.

"Although it does receive some funding, it always needs money. We've wanted to do some fundraising for some time but we've only really felt able to face it now because life has been so difficult."

Jack spent three weeks in hospital - both in Taunton and Bristol - after falling ill and returned home with a multitude of problems that Joanne and James, an artist, had to learn how to manage.

Unable to swallow, he was fed through a nasal gastric tube for the first year of his life, which has now been replaced with a peg feed through his stomach.

But the specialist facilities at TOG have been pivotal in Jack making what his family describe as "fantastic progress" in a range of areas.

In particular, the multi-sensory unit has been key to the improvement in his eyesight.

"He was unable to 'fix and follow' but the facilities in the unit and the one to one therapy has helped him incredibly," said Joanne.

"He's also had intensive physiotherapy for the stiffness down his side and speech therapy - all in all I can't explain just how wonderful TOG has been and is still being - it's a lifeline for us."

Joanne said Jack had received excellent service from the NHS and TOG's role in that had been invaluable.

The coffee morning at Bucklands House, just off the A39, takes place from 10am onwards.

It will be a real family affair,with Jack's grandparents, Janet and Eddie Watson from Holford, also helping out and doing some of the baking in preparation.

And the entire family is hoping as many people as possible will support the event.

"Jack nearly died," said Joanne. "This is just our way as a family of saying thank you to an organisation that has helped him and us so much."