Cerebral palsy teen sells own paintings to pay college fees

Finola Forman's painting of Edinburgh Castle has found favour with collectors and a number of reproductions have since been sold.

The talented 18-year-old and her mother, Henri, have raised 74,000 per year for two years to send Finola to Portland College near Nottingham.

In England and Wales, local authorities fund much of the specialist treatment, but in Scotland only a fraction is provided.

Now the duo are determined to fund most of Finola's final year at the college themselves.

Malcolm Chisholm, MSP for Edinburgh North and Leith, this week tabled a motion in parliament praising the Finola Education Trust, which was set up in 2008.

Ms Forman, who runs an events firm in Edinburgh, said Finola's condition, both mentally and physically, has been improved by attending college.

She said: "After the first year we did see an improvement, but now she is well into her second year she is just going from strength to strength in terms of her confidence and abilities.

"Finola's energy levels in the evening are right down, but she's keen on her artwork in the holiday period.

"This is also when she finds time to do her Christmas cards for Time Recruitment and St John's Church in Princes Street, for which she was commissioned by both to complete."

Late last year, Ms Forman was rushed to hospital with a medical complication and at one point had just hours to live.

She said the experience has driven home how much she wants her daughter to be able to look after herself.

She said: "That was a scare. It reminded me that I have to make her as independent as possible because I won't always be around.

"There's been a lot of hard work by a lot of people to help us make this happen."

Visit http://www.finolatrust.co.uk to find out about joining the Bupa Edinburgh Great Run and the Pedal Scotland Glasgow to Edinburgh challenge to help Finola.