GeeWizz’s star-studded tennis raffle for paralympic hopeful Ruby Bishop

Suffolk based children’s charity, GeeWizz is raffling memorabilia from world-class tennis stars to raise funds for a new specialist sports wheelchair for paralympic hopeful, Ruby Bishop.

Having a made to measure wheelchair is really important to enable me to be better. This chair will really help me develop into the Women’s tennis tournaments, and hopefully one day reach the Paralympics. It’s what you need to be at the top of your game. Thanks to GeeWizz for all their support, I am proud to be an ambassador of GeeWizz Charity. Ruby Bishop

The 4 lucky winners of the ‘Game, Set & Match!’ Tennis Raffle will have the chance to own; a shirt signed by the 2022 Billie Jean Cup team, Emma Raducanu, Harriet Dart, Katie Swan, Sonay Kartal and GB Captain Anne Keothavong; a signed cap by British number 1 quad Andy Lapthorne; a signed Wilson racket, used at the Paralympics from American number 1, Dana Mathewson; and a signed Dunlop racket and signed GB Tokyo 2020 paralympic top from Jordanne Whiley MBE.

The raffle is running now until Tuesday 12^th July 2022. Raffle tickets are £5 each and available at www.geewizzcharity.com/TennisRaffle

The new sports wheelchair funded from the raffle, and generous donation from local Suffolk company, SunSkips, will help Ruby achieve her dreams of competing in Grand Slams and the Paralympics.

Diagnosed at two years old with cerebral palsy right-sided hemiplegia, local teenager Ruby Bishop has overcome many obstacles in her young life already, from undergoing multiple operations, suffering with chronic pain, and anxiety. Ruby has achieved so much in her Tennis career, having broken into the top 100 and represented Team GB.

This year Ruby was part of the British Wheelchair World Team Cup squad in Portugal where she became Colour Holder number 319 after making her debut partnering Cornelia Oosthuizen in doubles and has been awarded the LTA Young Person of the Year.

Ruby was nominated for her tremendous efforts in encouraging junior tennis players, having worked as an Assistant Coach at TennisAble, for children with physical or learning disabilities. Sport has been a big part of her life, and Ruby wants to show young people that despite challenges they may face, with the right support, they can achieve whatever they set their minds to.

Ruby Bishop at the World Team Cup 2021

About GeeWizz:

GeeWizz Charity was founded by Gina Long MBE in 2015 and built around the ethos of transparent giving. They support children and young adults, across Suffolk who are learning disabled or neurodivergent, have a life-limiting illness or cancer, as well as supporting Sarcoma Cancer research and many capital projects.

Predominantly GeeWizz fund life-changing equipment for children, with some of their recent projects including a specialised sports wheelchair for paralympic tennis hopeful Ruby Bishop; providing the kit for Bury Town Disability Football Team; installing an at home wet room; purchasing crutches and a mobility trike for amputee and Synovial Sarcoma survivor Isabel Sheppard, and GeeWizz have sponsored a specialist nurse at St Elizabeth’s Zest programme for 4 years.