The desperate plight of a woman who is totally blind, suffers from cerbral palsy quadriplegia and partial hearing loss, has resulted in her launching an appeal to help fund the purchase of a purpose-made mobility vehicle along with a new wheelchair.

Since the death of Dr Lin Berwick’s husband and main carer Ralph Boyce, back in 2011 aged 77, she is now suffering from having to make ends meet which ends up with her having £50 a week to live on.

She was awarded an MBE in 2003 for her services to people with disability in the Queen’s birthday honours list and has totally dedicated her life to helping others with disabilities despite being confined to a wheelchair.

The 68-year-old, who lives in Sudbury, founded the Lin Berwick Trust in 1989 to raise funds to build and manage self-catering holiday accommodation for people with disabilities, their families and their careers.

She was also awarded around £170,000 in compensation by an airline after staff “handled her like a sack of potatoes” as they tried to get her into an economy standard seat.

Dr Berwick offers disability awareness training for restaurants, conference centres and colleges and still works lecturing, writing and giving general assistance to people with disabilities.

However, she now has to fund £546.48 per month towards her care and well being which leaves her with just £50 a week.

She said: “I am not in a financial position to find the £4,915 required as my put-down contribution for the vehicle. It is imperative that I get this as soon as possible as I am now totally off the road unless I pay more than £400 a week to hire a specialist wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

“My greatest love is to go to classical music concerts, London and elsewhere - thank God for concessionary tickets. Music is my colour in sound and it helps my pain levels to ease and gives me a purpose for living. My carers and friends help me to carry this love forward.

“The new wheelchair is bio-mathematically designed to cope with my twisted spine and it will be an absolute Godsend when the final small things have been put right to my satisfaction.

“The money raised will go to meet the down payment of the Motability vehicle and the rest will fund the wheelchair and give me a little surplus towards fuel.

“I need help because I simply cannot cope any longer with having to meet bills that I cannot manage.

“I have striven so hard but these two massive expenses are beyond me.

“I have always been a very proud person and have never wanted to let people know just how hard my life is now since my husband died but I’m having to admit defeat and call upon other people’s help.”

She has set up a Crowdfunding page which has a target of £10,000 and to support her quest go to https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/lin-berwick-s