August 22, 2008
MATTHEW Archibald says his bedroom makeover rocks.
Volunteers from Barclays Bank joined up with Cheltenham charity WellChild to decorate Matthew's room with a huge mural of his music hero Elvis and a view of The King's Graceland home on the door.
Matthew, 15, who suffers from motor neurone disease, said: "It's great. As I go to my room, it looks like I'm going toward Elvis's house and it says 'Welcome to Graceland' on the door."
The rock'n'roll fan, who lives in Kingsmead Avenue, Cheltenham, says he'd love to go to see Presley's Memphis mansion in Tennessee.
"I've always wanted to go to Graceland but I can't, so this is nearly as good," he said.
Inside his bedroom, Matthew wakes up to a mural with three huge pictures of his idol.
He said: "It's the first thing I see in the morning, and last thing I see at night."
And the Echo's reports on the work has given Matthew, who uses a wheelchair, a slice of fame in his neighbourhood.
He said: "People have been coming to the door and asking for my autograph or a picture because they've read about me in the paper.
"I'm really proud of my bedroom. I slept in it the night after it was done. It smelt a bit of paint but I don't mind that and it was worth it to see the mural."
Mum Sharon, 40, said the volunteers who revamped the room in one day were wonderful.
She said: "They were just great and cleared up after themselves as well. I'm really grateful to Lee and Emily at WellChild and James and his team at Barclays."
A spokesman for WellChild said any family interested in having a room or garden transformed for their chronically sick or disabled child should call Lee Trunks on 01242 530007, or email helpinghands@wellchild.org.uk
Article Source: http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/latestnews/Matthew-s-bedroom-rocks/article-283208-detail/article.html
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