A family that knows only too well the difficulties surrounding a child unable to walk has set up a charity to help others like them.

Six-year-old Freddie Gwilliams from Helston is the inspiration behind Footsteps for Freddie and Friends, which plans to fundraise for equipment to help families with children facing mobility issues, beginning with a fun day later this month.

Freddie lives at Turnpike with his parents Hayley and Andrew, an aircraft engineer at RNAS Culdrose, as well as older sister Evie, a pupil at St Michael's Primary School, and younger brother Casper.

He was born in 2010 with an undiagnosed complex neurodevelopmental syndrome and doctors are still not sure what is affecting Freddie, which leaves him with a range of health conditions such as epilepsy and sleep apnoea, and severe learning difficulties that mean he is unable to walk or talk.

Freddie is not the focus of the charity, however, and should he require equipment in the future his family will have to apply for a donation before a panel of judges, as with any other recipient.

His mum Hayley said: "We decided to start this charity as we know first hand how incredibly hard it can be to care for a child who has limited mobility. We are aware how much equipment is required to care for a child and how expensive it can be.

"Our charity now aims to raise funds for children with affected mobility by taking part in sponsored events, particularly events that require the use of our legs. All money raised will go towards funding various equipment and accessories to help children who need it."

To help kickstart the fundraising, a fun day is taking place at the Culdrose Community Centre on Saturday, January 28 between 1.30pm and 4.30pm.

There will be children's entertainers, food and drink and a variety of stalls, with painting, hair decorations,a toy bring-and-buy and tombola.

At the event, Hayley will be having her head shaved to help boost the fundraising total higher, with the hair itself going to the Little Princess Trust to be used in wigs for children who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other illnesses.

"It's a bit scary, but when you think about what Freddie goes through and the other children, it doesn't seem like very much," added Hayley.

"My hair will grow back eventually, but unfortunately we cannot grow new legs."

A fundraising page has been set up at mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/freddiehairshave where Hayley has already reached her initial £1,000 target and now hopes to improve on this further to really kickstart the fundraising.

She and Andrew hope that other people will also come forward to hold their own fundraising events for the cause and while it is still early days for the charity, anyone who would like to get in touch to help or ask for a donation can do so via the Facebook page Footsteps for Freddie and Friends or the website footstepsforfreddieandfriends.com