A TINY baby born 17 weeks early has inspired an estate agency to undertake a year-long charity pledge.

Callum Lamb, 31, of Weeley, is the managing director of Lamb and Co and his niece, Louise, was born prematurely at just 23 weeks in October 2018.

Louise weighed one pound and one ounce when she was born and spent more than four months at Colchester Hospital with her mother, Grace.

Louise is nearly three and a half now and although she is doing better, she still faces daily struggles.

Grace Lamb said: “She’s very delayed and can’t go to nursery at the moment, she can’t really walk yet.

“Louise is still on oxygen as she needs help to breathe, she’s also registered blind and still spends an awful lot of time in the hospital.”

Louise’s condition has also lead to induced comas, such as during the Christmas period in 2020.

Grace is a mum of five and Callum has praised his sister for staying strong, despite all the challenges, and he emphasised the importance of helping families in these situations.

He said: “The situation has been difficult for our family, but the main thing is Louise is a fighter. “She’s been through so much at a young age, but she always has a smile on her face.”

Grace, 28, of Clacton, cofounded Wish Upon a Fairy and highlighted the importance of supporting the neonatal unit at Colchester Hospital.

She said: “Five friends and I cofounded Wish Upon a Fairy about a year and a half ago now to raise money for the neonatal unit and families involved in it.

“Their work that goes into supporting families outside the NHS is so important, so we wanted to give them some backing.

“The staff are amazing and I can’t fault my experience there at all.”

Now they are getting support from Callum’s business.

The estate agency will donate £25 from every house sale made this year to the charity and it hopes to raise more than £7,500 for Wish Upon a Fairy this year.

For more information on the charity, go to wishuponafairycolchester.co.uk.