A caring Brentwood schoolgirl who will be 10 on Christmas Day is hoping Santa will bring her an extra special present.

Bethany Lee, of Cromwell Road, Warley, is a member of the St John Ambulance Brentwood Division, which desperately needs to raise £45,000 to buy a new ambulance.

On her Christmas birthday the youngster, who attends St Peter's Primary School in South Weald, will become a full St John cadet and she is hoping that at a time of goodwill and giving, local people and businesses will help out.

And the caring community-minded Gazette has already made a donation of £500 towards the appeal from its Millennium Fund, set up to raise money for deserving causes.

The fund was established in conjunction with the Essex Community Foundation to support projects in the community.

Bethany said: "I hope people will follow the Gazette's example and support this appeal because the money will go to a very good cause.

"The appeal is really, really important because the new ambulance will help to save lives.

''Hopefully I'll have the chance to work on the new ambulance, but if we don't get it we'll have to close down."

And appeal co-ordinator Paul Chinery said: ''We can't thank the Gazette enough: it's a marvellous gesture.''

Mr Chinery, from Harold Hill, says the appeal has met with a "terrible" response from businesses in Brentwood since it was launched last year.

He said: "Big companies don't seem to want to know. We are finding it really difficult, which is surprising since it's a very prosperous area."

So far, about £12,000 has been raised towards the cost of the new multi-purpose Renault Crusader 900 ambulance.

The division got rid of one ambulance in the summer and the remaining one will not meet new European safety standards.

''It will be decommissioned early in the new year because it's falling apart," said Mr Chinery.

"It's past it - it's rusty and unreliable. We've got to find a replacement, but if we can't raise the money by then we will have to get a second- hand vehicle instead and that will have to do until we get hold of a Crusader.

''We desperately need to get this money and we need some of the big companies in Brentwood to help us out."

If the appeal fails, Mr Chinery warns that the division may be forced to shut down.

"If we haven't got the ambulance, we won't have the duties that give us the money so eventually, I'd say, if we don't get the vehicle, the division could end up closing."

To make a donation, call Chris Eastwood on 01277 822436.

Appealing: St John Cadet Bethany Lee with Chris Eastwood

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