Owner of Muciqi Hand Car Wash helps Sheffield Hallam student Jess Atherley, of Newark, achieve her sporting dream

An amazing act of kindness from strangers has helped an international wheelchair basketball player of the future on her way.

Jess Atherley, of Newark, was able bodied until the age of 16, before a femoral retroversion in her hip, knees and ankles left her wheelchair dependant.

Soon after, Jess, who is now 20, discovered wheelchair basketball, a sport she fell in love with.

Knowing Jess was desperate to play, the Jaguars, a wheelchair basketball team from Newark, loaned her a chair in which to play, but to take her playing career onwards she needed help.

“This chair was older than her and tape had to be applied before every game to make it legal on court,” said Clare Atherley, Jess’s mother.

After continuing with the broken chair, Clare and Jess started fundraising in the hope of buying a new one.

Having struggled to get to £1,000 through donations from friends and family, Clare said £5,000 seemed completely unreachable, but she struck luck while having her car cleaned at Muciqi Hand Car Wash, Cow Lane, Newark.

“At this point Jess was using crutches for small distances,” said Clare.

“She got out of the car, went to the boot and proceeded to reassemble her wheelchair, while popping one crutch in the boot and using the other to pull it shut.”

Bekim Muclai, owner of the car wash, learned of the fundraising and had collection tin in the waiting area of his business, which raised £81.

Bekim invited Jess and Clare back the following week, as he said his friends would help raise additional funds.

On arriving Clare and Jess were greeted by Bekim and his friend, Richard Wilson, who each handed over £2,000.

“I have three daughters of my own and when I saw Jess and she explained her story to me, I had to help,” said Bekim.

“I looked at her as if she was my own, and did what I could to help.”

Clare said her and Jess were still in shock.

“I will never be able to thank these guys enough,” she said. “They really are the answer to my prayers.”

Having enrolled at Sheffield Hallam University after completing her Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence, Jess now plays for Sheffield Steelers in her new and improved lightweight chair.

“I would have been going to university without a chair because I was only loaning the old one from the Jaguars,” she said.

“It is really exciting and I’m grateful.”

Jess has ambitions to play internationally and, thanks to the kindness of strangers, has a real shot at getting there.