NORWICH City will welcome Hayley Brickley as their Community Hero for Saturday's Barclays Premier League game at home to Everton (12:45pm).

Thirty-seven-year-old Hayley has a learning difficulty and no lymphatic system in her legs which means her legs swell and she has frequent bouts of cellulitis.

Despite the challenges Hayley faces as a result of her rare condition, she volunteers at local charity Norfolk SEN Network of which her mum Pat Brickley is a founding member.

The group has been supporting families of children with special educational needs since 1987 and helps parents to secure the education which is right for their child.

Pat, who works as a Case Research and Development Worker at the charity said: “We help parents through the assessment of their child’s needs.

"When an agreement can’t be reached we help them take their case to a tribunal hearing. If their child has been excluded from school we help them find alternative provision.

“I knew how it felt to be battling through a minefield of educational law and trying to get the provision Hayley needed in school so, together with another parent, I started the local group to support other parents in the same situation.”

From sticking stamps on envelopes to attending charity events and collections, Hayley has always helped out at the charity and will bring out the matchball ahead of kick-off to raise awareness for the Norfolk-based group.

Pat was overjoyed to hear Hayley, a huge Norwich City FC fan, has been selected as the Community Hero this Saturday: “This will be a dream come true for Hayley and something she will talk about for a long time.

"She first started watching the Canaries when she was fourteen-years-old and has been a season ticket holder for over twenty years.“

This won’t be the first time Hayley has stepped foot on the pitch at Carrow Road. In September this year, she got to meet her Canary heroes at their annual team photoshoot as part of a Wish Day experience organised by the Community Sports Foundation.

Hayley will be accompanied by her mum on Saturday and we very much hope they enjoy their day with us.

More information on Norfolk SEN Network can be found by visiting www.norfolksennetwork.org

CITY v EVERTON: COMMUNITY HERO

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