Outdoor buildings firm provides perfect gift for teenager

Roundpeg Outdoors Buildings has stepped in to help a teenager who had his first open heart surgery at just three days old make the most of the great outdoors.

Tom Stevenson was born with a congenital heart condition, which means he requires oxygen 24 hours a day.

Even walking a short distance around the house leaves him out of breath.

Now Tom has his own summerhouse in the back garden of his Spondon home thanks to a donation from Roundpeg, allowing him to enjoy being outside without leaving his home.

Tom also has access to the internet in his new building, thanks to technology donated by Owen Conti at Code 56.

Roundpeg stepped in after hearing an appeal for the summerhouse from Rachel Morris, founder of the Friends of Derby 500 Club.

Sallyann Smith, from Roundpeg, was introduced to Rachel through Marketing Derby.

The club, which sees members pay £1 a week and then they give away £500 a week to a worthy cause, has previously paid for a patio to allow Tom to enjoy the garden and put out a plea to see if anyone could help with a summerhouse.

Sallyann said: “It’s fate that I met Rachel and I’m delighted that I was able to help.

“It’s nice to be able to do this for someone who will get so much out of it and to give Tom that extra space outside.

“Everyone needs to get outside in the fresh air but that can be difficult for people like Tom.”

Tom’s parents, Lol and Nicky, said they were overwhelmed with the donation from Roundpeg.

Nicky said: “It’s a struggle to take Tom out and if he’s having an off day, he doesn’t want to go out anyway.

“This allows him to have a different space and somewhere nice for him to sit.”

The 16-year-old has been through more than most in his young life after having his first open heart surgery on New Year’s Day when he was just three days old.

This was the first of many operations for Tom and he had major heart surgery twice within a week when he was 16 months old, and again when he was five years old.

Now the teenager, who loves cooking, gaming and watching sport, lives with a congenital heart condition and pulmonary hypertension and is constantly on oxygen.

Lol said: “It’s been one hell of a journey. Tom just carries on. It’s his way of life and he’s never known anything different, so he just gets on with it.”