A TATTOO studio based in Bude has raised more than £1,000 in a charity flash sale to raise money for a young boy’s prosthetic limb.

Earlier this month, Blackstar Tattoo Studio organised a fundraiser for a young boy. Jayden Henry-Poole, 10, who lives in Bude was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, a condition in which fibrous bands of the amniotic sac get tangled around a developing fetus, resulting in his left arm not developing properly in the womb.

Earlier this year, Jayden and his father attended an open day at Open Bionics in Bristol, a UK-based company which works to develop low-cost, 3D printed bionic arms for amputees with below elbow amputations. At this open day, they learnt that Jayden qualifies for a “Hero Arm” — a 3D printed scan of the limb which is manufactured using tough nylon and state of the art software which detects muscle movements, meaning it can be used with minimal effort. The limb also features haptic vibrations, beepers, buttons and lights to provide intuitive notifications that help the user control the bionic arm movements.

However, in order for Jayden to receive this life-changing procedure, his family need to raise £13,000 and because of this expense, on Saturday, December 10, Blackstar Tattoo Studio, held a fundraiser.

The team put together a flash sheet of Marvel and DC heroes and robots, selling these tattoos for £50 each. All the money raised from the day was donated to Jayden’s cause. Speaking to the Post, Paulie, owner of Blackstar Tattoo Studio, said: “We heard about Jayden because a lot of his family are clients of ours and have been for a number of years. Superheroes and robots were a natural decision for us as they’re things that Jayden is in to and also the fact the prosthetic we are aiming to raise money for is called the ‘Hero Arm’”.

Rebecca, Jayden’s mother, said that this idea was a huge surprise.

“I was super surprised at hearing Paulie say they would do a full week of fundraising for Jayden! That is the last thing I expected. I’m so grateful for him and his team for putting the time and effort into designing Jayden’s heres and robots!

“Even with the icy weather, it didn’t stop people going down and supporting, raising £1,400! Thank you so much!”

Jayden and his family learnt about the Hero Arm after sending an application to Open Bionics.

“We discovered the hero arm a few years ago, Open Bionics were taking applications for people who would be interested in the Hero Arm. So we applied, didn’t hear anything back until we were offered a chance to go to the Open Bionics Open Day in Bristol,” Rebecca explained. “Jayden went there with his dad and sister, Elissa. They went on a tour of Open Bionics HQ, met Tilly Lockey, as well as the rest of the team to talk about the Hero Arm. He met with a prosthetist and this is where Jayden was told he would be eligible for a Hero Arm, as he could easily move an electronic hand with the muscles in his little arm!”

Since that moment, Jayden has had his sights set on getting this life-changing prosthetic.

Rebecca continued: “The Hero Arm would be hugely beneficial for Jayden in his day-to-day activities, as what we take for granted, is a struggle for Jayden. Cutting up food, tying shoelaces, getting dressed at ease, even playing either Legos can be a struggle at times. One thing he is really looking forward to is being able to do tricks on his scooter properly.”

Thanks to fundraising from the Blackstar team, as well as many others within the community, Jayden is one step closer to getting his Hero Arm.

Rebecca concluded: “Jayden has had amazing support in the past, he has received 3D printed arms, we’ve had support from Exeter Mobility Centre when he was younger, the Hero Arm is the next big step for him, it will be so beneficial as he gets older and starts secondary school!

“Jayden is really excited to have the chance of getting a Hero Arm, now we just need to make it become reality for him!”

To support Jayden’s fundraiser visit www.gofund.me/f2addc0c