I am sorry to make this into a Bristol Rovers love fest, especially as I haven’t been to a game for over two years, but something moved me today. And that something was the story of Oskar Pycroft.
Oskar is six years of age. He suffers from bilateral spastic cerebral palsy which I understand makes him unable to sit, stand or walk independently. To make things even worse, he is in constant pain and he has a number of other difficult conditions. I am no medical expert – I could not be more inexpert – but I have been reading that Oskar, who is wheelchair bound, needs £50,000 towards surgery that may help him walk. I will not get into the politics I do not understand, but the upshot is that the NHS will not pay for that amount but it can be carried out privately, hence the need for the £50,000.
The little chap is a fanatical Bristol City supporter and already our friends across the river have raised huge sums in order to enable this potentially life-changing operation to take place. Today, he came to Bristol Rovers. I am told that, wonderfully, he was not all that keen on visiting the club on the other side of town, which is, of course, how things are meant to be in a sporting city, but visit he did and he received a wonderful welcome from Gasheads who gave generously, I understand over £3000 so far, to this most worthwhile of causes. Why am I not surprised by this?
Rovers PA Man Nick Day has already had Oskar on his Midweek Sports Bar programme on Bristol Community Radio, so I know he has formed a bond with him and the family and I understand the on pitch interview was extremely moving. I also know, from speaking to friends who were present, that Nick played a large part in ensuring the collection raised as much as it did. I expect nothing less from Nick, a man with a huge heart who has done many good deeds for people over the years for nothing in return but quiet thanks over many years.
I am pleased and certainly not surprised that Gasheads rose to the challenge and didn’t concern themselves with the footballing preferences of this brave young boy, and why should they? He might not share our blue and white DNA but he is from the big Bristol family, this great city in which we are proud to live. We should feel even more proud tonight.
Oskar deserves his operation and for as long as he has a loving family and friends and supporters who are driven to succeed he will get it.
What a fantastically uplifting and inspiring start to the New Year.
