THE FAMILY of Thornbury toddler Ezzy Hodge have said they are “angry” at being kept in the dark over the investigation into a charity owing them thousands.

The four-year-old, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in 2016, underwent life-changing surgery six months ago in America after the “Ezzy’s Wish to Walk” campaign raised an incredible £80,000.

But since the successful surgery took place, the campaign, along with several others around the country, have been embroiled in a battle with a Bristol-based charity that they claim owe thousands of pounds.

The Darren Wright Foundation, which was set up to help families with disabled children, is believed to owe around £34,000 to at least nine different children, with its practices currently being investigated by the Charity Commission.

Four-year-old Ezzy’s family say the charity have yet to hand over somewhere between £3,600 and £5,000 that was raised for her.

When approached by the Gazette, the Charity Commission, who launched their investigation in November, said they would be unable to make any comment as the case was ongoing.

Despite being one of the parties that has brought forward the complaints against the charity, Ezzy’s family say they too have yet to hear anything.

“We are quite angry that things aren’t moving,” said Ezzy’s mum Angela. “I understand that an investigation needs to be done but we aren’t getting any correspondence or updates about what is happening.

“As parents we don’t care about the ins and the outs of what is going on. We really just want to know if that money is there.

“If they told us it was there and that we would get access to it in two years or five years, at least we know there is light at the end of the tunnel, but we are getting nothing at all, which is frustrating.”

When the investigation was announced, the family-run DWF apologised to the families involved, saying they were working hard on resolving the issues, adding that founder Scott Wright had left due to a "medical intervention”.

But despite no movement in their complaints against the charity, life still goes on, with Angela saying she was proud that Ezzy’s progress was going really well.

“Every day it is small steps,” she said, “and while some are steps forward in terms of progress, there have been some steps backwards.

“She is walking more on her own, but the number of steps isn’t the important thing. What she is doing now is learning the basics – things like how to put one foot in front of the other and not trip and being more aware of her surroundings.

“She is also swimming now and has got her five metre badge after swimming unaided so she is making massive improvements, not necessarily something people outside this house would notice, but to us they are amazing.

“But while she can do more physio, she is saying she is tired a lot more and with concerns that she might need another operation on her hip, we don’t want to push her to achieve too much too soon.”

She said that since the surgery, one of the main tasks the family have done is to try and build up Ezzy’s self confidence

As a mum, no matter whether you have an able-bodied child, or one with physical or mental health difficulties, you are always worried about your child getting picked on, and for Ezzy, the reason is just more obvious.

“Emotionally she sometimes cares and sometimes doesn’t, noticing she isn’t walking the same as her friends, but at the heart of it she is still the same smiley, excitable Ezzy.”