A CLACKMANNAN youngster is one step closer to having a more accessible home thanks to the fundraising efforts of friends.

Staff and parents at ABC Nursery in Alloa have rallied round for Cooper Keen, in a bid to help make his house more suitable for his needs.

The four-year-old has hydrocephalus and has a VP shunt in his brain to drain fluid and relieve pressure; he also has cerebral palsy.

Unable to move around unaided, his family have been hard at work on a fundraising campaign to make alterations to the living space possible.

They say these would change their lives completely and would allow Cooper to have a downstairs bedroom.

Over the last few months, friends at the nursery have been motivated to do what they can and a cheque for £2458.90 was handed over at the beginning of the week.

The money was raised through a mini-me photo-shoot held by Pamela and Martin McLennan, the husband and wife team behind Fraser Luis Photography, in June.

Meanwhile, staff at the nursery decided to take on a sponsored walk through Clackmannanshire, travelling more than nine miles over Tullibody, Menstrie, Alva, Tillicoultry and Fishcross.

Kerrie Keen, Cooper’s mum, said: “The support we have received from the nursery/Pamela has been fantastic – they have been great.

“I was so shocked and so happy with the amount which has been raised to help Cooper.

“It will be going towards getting Cooper his downstairs bedroom and trying to make this happen.”

Feeling they could do more than simply give money, Pamela and Martin decided to put their creative talents to use.

Teaming up with ABC Nursery and Wee Print, they organised the photo-shoot and invited the parents of all children who attend the nursery to allow their little ones to be photographed for a £10 donation.

Afterwards the couple – who have a son in the same class as Cooper – edited the images and uploaded them to a gallery, where families could purchase prints or digital downloads.

Pamela said: “We’re really happy to have helped.

“We’ve brought Cooper a fair bit closer to having the accessible bedroom he so very much needs and deserves.

“The photo-shoot was great; we were at the nursery from 8am until 4pm and we didn’t stop all day, we’re so chuffed that 42 families signed up to participate.

“The editing took us just over three weeks to complete.

“Everyone has commented on how much they love their photos too – we’re very pleased.”

Thanks is given to those who donated during the events.

To follow Cooper’s story or to give a donation, visit gofundme.com/cooperkeen