THE team at the Skipton branch of the Yorkshire Building Society brought a smile to the face of one young patient as he tried out a new standing frame.

It's one of two pieces of equipment funded by Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation for the Child Development Centre at Airedale Hospital.

The donation from the foundation bought a standing frame, which includes a table section for toys, and a height-adjustable therapy bench to help children develop their balance.

Standing frames can have a positive impact on children with mobility problems, helping them stand upright at intervals throughout the day to improve their bone and muscle strength and circulation.

Jacob Roadnight, from Bingley who is two in January, is registered blind and has global development delay which gives him mobility issues.

His mum Stacey said it's a step up from the standard frame they have at home as he can play independently for a lot longer.

Bridget Thompson, Principal Paediatric Physiotherapist at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, added: “We are extremely grateful to Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation as these two pieces of equipment cost over £1,400, and we need this sort of equipment on a regular basis.

"We use it to assess the children so that they can then go to Bradford Airedale and Community Equipment Store and loan it for their own home.

"We need to assess to make sure it’s right for them and so if we have some stock ourselves we can test it with the children and get the right equipment for that child.”

Harriet Dewhirst, from Yorkshire Building Society, said: "We are very pleased to be supporting Airedale Hospital and helping children like Jacob. It’s very important that as a mutual society we support local causes in our community."