Paige Caldwell: Campaign to meet Gary Barlow

The friends and family of a Kent teenager with Downs Syndrome are trying to
make her dreams come true by persuading singer Gary Barlow to help her celebrate her birthday.

The Take That singer has said he is on the lookout for milestone
birthdays belonging to fans, which he could help celebrate and sing
at.

It follows an unusual appeal by the 45-year-old last year in which he
went looking for the weddings of Take That fans he could make a
surprise entrance at - with many clips of him serenading shocked
brides across the UK often going viral.

Paige Caldwell from Canterbury celebrated her 18th birthday last month but her friends
and family have pledged to throw the whole thing again if Gary Barlow
would choose her as one of his lucky fans to receive a visit.

Paige’s mum Sue is a teacher at Tunstall primary school, near Sittingbourne, and work colleague and fellow Take That fan Ali Matthews set up Paige’s birthday appeal, with the hashtag #getgarytopaige.

It is currently running on Twitter and Facebook and reads: "Paige is so incredibly special in many ways.

"She has Down’s Syndrome, she is bonkers about Gary Barlow, she is the big sister to three brothers and the daughter to the lovely Sue.

"Despite the challenges she faces, Paige never fails to make us all smile and fill us with joy. We’d love to return the favour."

Sue, 44, lost her husband, Ian five years ago after he was killed in a car crash in Dubai where he was working.

She has been bringing up Paige, who goes to a special school in Folkestone, and her three younger brothers.

She said: "Paige and I are huge Take That fans and the boys have to put up with us playing their music around the house.

"We haven’t heard anything back from Gary yet but we will keep tweeting and our fingers crossed.

"If he does, we would hold the party in our new school hall which would be amazing."

Follow the campaign on Twitter by searching with the hashtag #getgarytopaige