Hi Sunshine News Readers, we hope everybody is well! It has been an exciting week here at Sunshine HQ as entries closed for our Sunshine Run 5k, and we have also officially sold out of our Great North Run places. Both events are looking to be huge successes, and now that spaces are filled, we are excited to put everything else into action.
In other news, this week saw a special draw open, where we could potentially receive £5,000 for our cause – to deliver specialist and adapted equipment to children living with disabilities, special educational needs and complex medical conditions in the North East, enriching lives through items that are not provided by the NHS or local authorities.
This draw is facilitated by Benefect Group’s ‘Movement For Good’ initiative; they run semi-regular £1,000 charity draws, as well as three £5,000 special draws that focus on different areas: Health & Wellbeing, Community, and Animals & Wildlife. This month, they are running their Health & Wellbeing special draw where 10 charities will win £5,000 each for their cause. The charities with the most nominations will win, and it only takes a minute to fill out the form.
We are asking our supporters and readers to help us remove the barriers to independence, dignity, and full participation for disabled children in our region, by nominating The Chronicle Sunshine Fund. A pre-filled nomination form can be found at https://bit.ly/sf-nom, and just a minute of your time could change the life of a local family. The equipment we fund is not available through statutory services, yet it can significantly improve a child’s physical and mental health, and their overall wellbeing.
What Could £5,000 Fund?
It could fund 12 laptops or 15 iPads, both of which have a wide range of benefits for youngsters with a range of needs; they can provide a teenager with a visual impairment that independence, so they can complete schoolwork and progress hobbies and skills without relying on somebody else, they can develop communication for a non-verbal child, and they can improve focus and behaviour for someone with autism and ADHD.
It could fund a number of sensory bundles for schools or groups, and even more individuals, so a child with sensory needs has a variety of tools and toys to help them self-regulate, which has a wider impact on their wellbeing. Our bundles range from £100 - £2,000 depending on who is receiving it, and the complexity of their needs.
It could fund 2 buggies to keep a child with complex medical and/or behavioural needs safe, secure and comfortable. This can encourage a family to leave the house confidently, and allow a child and their parents/carers and siblings to access the community, which may otherwise not be possible.
It could fund at least 3 trikes for kids with a diverse range of needs; it could be for a child with reduced mobility, to build muscle, or for a child with developmental delay or learning disabilities, to build confidence. There are many benefits for a variety of individuals, and ultimately it allows them to get out and have fun, play with friends, race their siblings, and ride around in style.
It could fund 10 pieces of outdoor play equipment for a family to have in their garden; this may be because their child gets too overwhelmed to play in a public park, so they have their own space to play without getting overstimulated. It could be for a child with autism and/or ADHD, who needs to exert energy, giving them a safe place to do so, and to allow them to self-regulate.
These are just a handful of examples of how we could use the grant, and the difference it could make. To hear more about who we are and what we do, and other ways you can get involved, please visit www.thesunshinefund.org/ or drop us an email at hello@thesunshinefund.org. Thank you for reading!
Sophie x
