Children's Community Support Programme
See how we've supported local organisations in the vital
work they do helping children in our community
About the Programme
Our Children’s Community Support Programme helps to provide children and young people with free activities, lessons and classes that will make a positive impact to their lives. Unfortunately, due to numerous factors such as living with disabilities and growing up in poverty, many children and young people are excluded from enjoyable activities and play. This can drastically reduce their overall quality of life and can sometimes result in children looking towards unsafe or criminal activities to pass the time, which in turn can put them at a significant risk of harm.
This campaign supports various children and youth organisations by providing funding towards the costs associated with these activities, so children and young people can access them for free. We help to fund for various activities such as: acting, dancing, art, music, theatre shows and sensory play. Little Lives UK maintains the belief that every child deserves the best start in life and through this campaign, we strive to ensure that as many children as possible are given it.
Little Lives UK successfully ran this campaign from 2017 to 2024, proudly sponsoring over 138 activity projects for thousands of children and teenagers. The campaign is now closed, and we are no longer accepting applications.
Our latest campaigns
Urdd Gobaith Cymru April 2024
Urdd Gobaith Cymru is Wales’s largest National Youth Organisation and was founded in 1922. Utilising the Welsh language, they respond to the needs of children and young people across Wales. They provide children with the opportunity to be proud of their language and culture and enjoy a variety of activities and experiences. These experiences are of great value to the children as they allow them to positively contribute to their communities, broaden their horizons and increase their self-confidence. Little Lives UK are proud to support The Summer Sports Holiday Fund, West Wales.
The fund will enable children in disadvantaged areas to be physically active and practice Welsh during the summer holidays which will benefit both physical and mental wellbeing. The fund will provide 115 day-spaces for children between the ages of six and eleven who would otherwise not have the opportunity to access sporting activity over the summer holidays. Activities will range from football, netball, rugby, hockey, gymnastics, to more non-traditional activities such as fencing, archery, boxercise, disability sport and much more. This means that children will be introduced to new and exciting sports that they may not have had the opportunity to engage in before.
Diverse Abilities April 2024
Little Lives UK are pleased to be supporting Diverse Abilities at their new location The Treehouse. Diverse Abilities provide respite and sort breaks to families living with disability and this new site will allow them to bring these services to far more families in need of this vital support. Diverse Abelites will create an activity centre dedicated to SEND families where they can safely and comfortably come together to take part in activities and create lasting memories. Little Lives UK are thrilled to be funding an exciting new outdoor go-kart and scooter zone for the children to enjoy.
The space will include a track with, zebra crossing, parking spaces and a car was for the children to interact with during play. The space can be used as a means to teach the children the importance of road safety in a small and controlled context so that they can understand how to be safe and take this with them to real life situations. By playing on the go-karts and scooters the children are also able to develop their motor skills including coordination, balance and core strength. The space will also encourage children to interact while playing, developing social skills and creating a sense of inclusion.
Leigh Youth and Community Development Trust April 2024
Leigh Youth and Community Development Trust aim to support their community by creating a stronger and safer place for all. Little Lives UK is proud to be supporting their Active Inclusive Programme which provides free sports sessions for SEN children between the ages of five and fourteen. By developing a strong understanding of the children’s individual needs they are able to eliminate some of the factors that may be making it difficult for these children to access other sports sessions.
This includes things like venue accessibility and large group sizes, for many families’ financial constraints also limit the children’s access to alternative sports sessions. The Active Inclusive programme will run weekly sessions where the children can experience a variety of sports including tag rugby, yoga, football, dance and karate. These sessions are not only beneficial to physical health through movement, but also provide a safe space for these children to feel a sense of belonging. This is beneficial to the children’s mental health and confidence. The sessions also act as valuable respite for parents.
Clwb Carco March 2024
Clwb Carco organise out of school play sessions so that children with individual needs and disabilities can access the universal language of play, through inclusive play sessions. The inclusive play project will allow vulnerable children between the ages of three and eleven the chance to attend play sessions where they can build and maintain relationships as well as giving them time to escape from the daily challenges they may be facing.
The children who benefit from the sessions include those with autism, ADHD, children who have experienced parent loss, looked after children and those who have experienced the care system, ethnic minority groups and those currently experiencing poverty. Little Lives UK are proud to help Clwb Carco fund weekly after school sessions for these children to enjoy.
Ipswich Community Play Bus March 2024
The Ipswich Community Play Bus travels around to 6 of the most deprived areas of Ipswich to bring play sessions to preschool children from low socio-economic backgrounds who cannot access other facilities for childcare and learning. The play bus provides a high standard of early education to the children under the age of five who attend the free three hour long sessions.
The play bus is able to tackle the cycle of deprivation in these areas by creating a unique and friendly environment where both children and parents and carers feel safe to learn and grow. The play bus gives children who may otherwise be isolated at home the opportunity to learn, play and socialise before they reach school age. Little Lives UK are pleased to be supporting the Ipswich Community Play Bus in delivering this vital service to the children and families of Ipsitch.
Wrexham Sounds March 2024
Wrexham Sounds are on a mission to transform the lives of disadvantaged young people by using music to develop their skills, confidence and prospects. They offer free music tuition, courses and studio experience to children who cannot access these things through their school as well as running one to one “music for wellbeing” sessions. Children can be referred to the sessions by family and organisations such as charities and schools and the demand for this support is ever growing. “Music for wellbeing” sessions support children with ADHD, autism, additional learning needs and mental heath issues to build confidence and express themselves using music.
This can involve spontaneous music making, learning familiar pieces or composing pieces that reflect the child. The sessions are one to one and can be fully flexible to allow each child the opportunity to express themselves through music without feeling anxiety or judgement. Little Lives UK is Proud to support Wrexham Sounds LTD in running these sessions and helping vulnerable children express themselves.
Joss Searchlight February 2024
Joss Searchlight is one of very few charities who specialise in providing support to families dealing with a diagnosis of childhood brain cancer. Paediatric brain cancer is unfortunately the most common form of cancer found on children and only one in every three children with this diagnosis will survive. Joss Searchlight helps these children and their families to better understand and process their situation through the entire brain cancer journey. Little Lives UK are proud to help Joss Searchlight to fund a new art therapy project which will allow the children to express and explore their emotions at every stage of their journey.
Art therapists can help children to process difficult emotions using art as an outlet, the sessions will also help children develop problem solving, improve their relationship building and empower them to share their feelings and be heard through what they create. Art can be used to help manage stress and improve emotional wellbeing in the children who take part in the sessions.
Twist and Hit Cheerleading – ASN Youth club February 2024
Twist and Hit Cheerleading are running a new free youth club supporting children with physical, sensory and emotional impairments. Having recognised a lack of activities for these groups in Renfrewshire, Twist and Hit are providing spaces for these children to thrive at ASN Youth Club – Access for All. The youth clubs aim to tackle the isolation felt by many of these children and help them to make new friends outside of their normal school environment.
Twist and Hit will offer a relaxed youth club environment with inflatables, games consoles, arts and crafts, team building games and refreshments for the children to enjoy. All of these activities are designed to help develop the children’s self-esteem and confidence while also supporting social inclusion and breaking down barriers between disabled and non-disabled youth groups. The activities at the youth club will also help to improve the children’s physical and mental wellbeing by getting them moving and socialising.
JDRF January 2024
JDRF is a leading worldwide organisation dedicated to helping young people with type 1 diabetes. Committed to enhancing the lives of individuals affected by the condition, thwarting its onset, and ultimately discovering cures. This mission is pursued through the allocation of resources to research endeavours, advocacy for equitable access to all therapeutic options, and fostering connections within and support for the type 1 diabetes community.
Little Lives UK is delighted to be contributing £1,000 towards the procurement of materials for the KIDSAC pack. This pack is a vital resource, offering educational and recreational items to underprivileged children, ensuring their holistic development and well-being.
Palatine Primary School January 2024
Palatine Primary School located in Durrington, West Sussex, provides children experiencing a range of complex learning difficulties, from autism to Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, with an Education Health Care Plan.
The school provides education for children aged 4 to 11, addressing four key areas of development: cognition and learning, communication, sensory and physical development, and social, emotional, and mental health development. It emphasizes the celebration of progress and accomplishments across all these areas.
Little Lives UK is thrilled to be donating £7,000 towards the installation of a bike track which will support children’s understanding of road safety along with improving their agility capabilities on a bike.
EdShift January 2024
EdShift CIC has created an initiative to aid professionals assisting vulnerable children by creating BraveBoxes which contain a pocket-sized emergency numbers card, pocket sized safety and tips and advice card, positive affirmation cards, worry dolls and fidget toys ensuring they feel safer and more empowered.
Little Lives UK are proud to donate £1,967.92 towards creating an additional 300 BraveBoxes to help support these vulnerable children. These boxes will be distributed across Calderdale, West Yorkshire and will make a significant impact by increasing awareness, improving support access, enhancing safety and well-being.
Totnes Rural Area Youth Engagement November 2023
Totnes Rural Area Youth Engagement (TRAYE) Project is a charity who has been supporting youth from Totnes and its surrounding areas for over 7 years. They provide children ages 9 – 19, who may feel isolated by the rural places they live, access to a variety of activities to help them feel supported in their community.
Their new Pure Positive Energy project will run free fun sporting activities within the community for these children to enjoy. The activities have been requested by children in the community and will include: dance, non-contact boxing, yoga and parkour. These sessions will be offered to children aged 11 – 19. The sessions will not only allow these children to access free sport which benefits their health and fitness but they will be hugely beneficial to the children’s mental health, confidence and body image.
Little Angel Theatre November 2023
Little Angel Theatre is a charity which has been fuelling the imaginations of children through magic and Puppetry since 1961. They are situated in an area where many children come from income deprived households so they are using their Puppets for all project to provide free access to the arts for these children via activity sessions and performances.
Puppets for all will offer free tickets to shows for children who otherwise could not afford to go to the theatre. They also offer performances to local schools so that each year group sees one show a year. In the school holidays bursary places will be offered for activity days so that all children get the opportunity to experience the arts, this is also beneficial as it acts as free childcare for parents who otherwise couldn’t afford any. There will also be bursary places offered for the 0 – 3 explorer classes which offer sensory play to infants as well as an opportunity for community support to parents. The work of Little Angel Theatre helps give all children access to the arts as a tool for self-expression and to build confidence. They also use this as a chance to build a community of support in the local area.
Blackberry Buzzard CIC November 2023
Blackberry Buzzard CIC support projects in Eastbourne with a focus on outdoor activities and exploring nature to enrich young lives. The Roots & Boots project provides access to a plot of land dedicated to teaching children how to grow their own food, with a polytunnel for all weather teaching.
These cost-free sessions will allow children to learn the skills needed for growing food. This especially beneficial for children who do not have access to their own gardens and otherwise would not get the chance to give gardening a go. The children get a chance to try out gardening skills while also learning important information along the way. This includes learning about healthy eating and where their food comes from. It also provides skills in food resilience as children learn how to grow their own food for free which is endlessly beneficial. The children also learn about sustainability and agriculture and the things they can do for the environment. Understanding how things grow also helps with science in school as well as a better understanding of the world.
Scotland Yard Adventure Centre October 2023
The Yard is an award-winning charity, running adventure play and support services for disabled children, young people and their families in the East of Scotland. They offer a unique service that facilitate creative and inclusive indoor and outdoor play experiences in a well-supported environment. The Yard has had a positive impact on thousands of disabled children and their families.
Scotland Yard Adventure Centre is a safe haven created for children and young people with disabilities from the age of 0 – 25. They provide opportunities for fun, friendship and community building all through adventure play. Play is incredibly important for children as it provides them with the building blocks to gain social, emotional and practical skills they can use throughout their lives.
Hull Women's Aid October 2023
Hull Women’s Aid aims to raise awareness of all forms of domestic abuse. They are the sole provider of safe and secure refuge accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic abuse. They have been helping women since 1975 ensuring victims understand that they are not alone, and here at Little Lives we are proud to be sponsoring Hull Women’s Aid.
Little Lives UK are proud to donate £2,000 to contribute towards the eight week TRUST programme. The contribution will allow Hull Women’s Aid to provide 5 lots of eight week sessions. Allowing 50 children to travel safely to and from session and receive relevant emotional health and wellbeing support. Hull Women’s Aid are dedicated to supporting those that are victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
Skate Nottingham CIC October 2023
Skate Nottingham CIC is a grassroots, youth-focused, sports development and alternative education organisation rooted in Nottingham’s globally significant skateboarding community. Using skateboarding as a tool to unlock learning and creativity, with an aim to raise the profile of skateboarding as a positive, healthy and creative activity that contributes to Nottingham’s social, cultural and economic development.
They currently run free beginners’ skateboarding sessions. Each sessions consist of 90-minute coached skateboarding by qualified coaches, incorporating the Edu-Skate youth development programme, which was created in Jamaica by international NGO Concrete Jungle Foundation, In 2022-23, they were one of just seven organisations worldwide to pilot Edu-Skate and the only UK-based partner. The programme focuses on teaching 11 essential life-skills alongside the skateboarding. We’re proud to have donated £2,200 to Skate Nottingham CIC and we can’t wait to see this initiative flourish.
Kidz Klub Leeds October 2023
Kidz Klub Leeds work with children that are growing up in poverty, putting them at the heart of making a difference locally. This project supports children in need and facing pressing multiple challenges compounded by the pandemic and cost of living crisis, with the team addressing; family breakdown, neglect, domestic abuse, bereavement and gang involvement or witnessing criminal / violent activity on the street or other trauma.
This project will enable them to continue to provide children with enriching after school Kidz Klub sessions to attend. They are collected on staffed double decker buses from locations near their homes and the fun starts as soon as the children get on the buses, with songs and games. The Central Klub session is held in the centre of Leeds and is led from a stage, with songs, games and life enriching messages on important themes such as staying safe and making good choices. We’re so happy to be sponsoring such a brilliant ongoing project.
WestRaven Community Cafe and Garden October 2023
WestRaven Community Cafe and Garden is based in Westwood and Ravensthorpe an area of Peterborough with high deprivation. Support local residents with Health & Wellbeing, Employability and Youth programmes. A lot of families in the area live in flats or small houses with no outdoor space and WestRaven provides children with a place to connect with nature and immerse themselves in the outdoors.
WestRaven’s Little Wanderers, a project for children aged 1-5, helps them to learn, play and grow through the Community Café & Garden. The large outdoor area has an array of trees and wildlife, ponds, an outdoor kitchen and in season allotments which is a secure, safe environment and is Ofsted registered. We’re delighted to be sponsoring such a great early developmental and wellbeing cause.
Rockinghorse Children’s Charity October 2023
Rockinghorse Children’s Charity is all about raising money for life-saving equipment, specialist projects and enhanced services for sick children throughout sussex. They have been supporting children for over 50 years and is the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton.
Rockinghorse Children’s Charity is on a quest to combat the growing mental health crisis in young people across the UK already funding a range of projects. We’re proud to support this incredible charity by donating £23,000 towards the wellbeing days they provide, including, art therapy, forest school, woodland wellbeing, sea swimming and the diabetes residential weekend trip.
Sussex Prisoners' Families June 2023
Sussex Prisoners’ Families run a fort-nightly children’s group which includes art therapy, days out, meals and refreshments and fun activities to engage children, build trust and offer a space for them to share their experiences. In England and Wales, around 312,000 children are affected annually by family imprisonment, with around 10,000 children visiting a parent in prison each week.
Children of prisoners are at risk of significantly worse outcomes than children not affected by parental imprisonment including an increased risk of future offending, mental health issues, and poor educational attainment. This group is therefore vital for children affected by family imprisonment. We very pleased to be donating £2,200 towards such an important cause.
Spencer Lynx hockey June 2023
Spencer Lynx Hockey of Earlsfield provide a 2-year free hockey program. They highlight the importance of providing meaningful role-models to children from minority backgrounds and have recruited mixed-race and Asian international players to pass on skills and to inspire the children at the club.
Spencer Lynx’s purpose is to promote positive physical and mental health. Their programme offers an opportunity to acquire hockey skills while making new friends, developing social and emotional wellbeing and encouraging respect for others. So far they have have delivered hockey sessions to children at 18 schools in Wandsworth and Lambeth and work with teachers to identify children who would most benefit from the programme.
We are currently helping to fund the costs to run this program so that local children and disadvantaged children do not miss out on playing.
The Effectus Theatre June 2023
The Effectus Theatre in Selby believe that theatre should be accessible for everyone. By providing interactive shows for children and young people with learning or physical disabilities, along with families and carers they ensure that no one misses out on the magic of live theatre.
We are excited to announce that we have donated £2,000 towards an inflatable sensory pod which will include accessible soft seating, light up pillows, giant bean bags, a fibre optic sparkle rug and sensory flooring. Which has numerous benefits for the children, such as helping with self-regulation reducing sensory overload and promoting rest. Keep up the fantastic work you are doing to bring magic into the lives of the children and young people.
CHIPS June 2023
CHIPS charity in Hertfordshire supports SEN children with additional needs by providing clubs and play playschemes. Their sessions offer social integration in the community outside of school, which helps to reduce the social isolation of the children. This allows the children to play and have fun in a safe and secure setting, whilst helping families with respite.
We are happy to announce that we have donated £1,387.50 so they can purchase tickets for 75 SEN children to attend a pantomime this Christmas. The pantomime will be a great way for the children to meet up with their friends and have fun over the Christmas period. We are very happy to be helping such a wonderful cause.
The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of HTH June 2023
The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Holy Trinity Hastings acts as a hub for their community and provides the support and a place for people from all walks of life to come together. They run a children’s group called Tots & Me to ensure that children and their parents or carers get the support and access to services they need.
We are delighted to have donated £1,985 to them to purchase new play equipment, sensory play items and fresh, healthy food for the children to use at the group sessions. We are proud to support such a community based organisation.
The Family Information Group May 2023
The Family Information Group help to provide support to families and carers who have children living with disabilities. Their aim is to provide the best services and support to ensure that they have the best chance of achieving their potential both educationally and personally.
We are delighted to announce a donation of £1,700 to cover the cost of four days of free specialist theatre workshops for the children attending their playschemes. The playschemes will benefit the lives of roughly 150 children in their community. The project will help to improve the children’s confidence at the same time as teaching them new sets of skills which they can then take with them to school.
Crackerjack’s Children’s Trust May 2023
Crackerjack’s Children’s Trust are charity whose aim it is to provide children the services and support they need to fully participate in their community and to have the same opportunities and choices as their friends and peers.
Crackerjack’s Children’s Trust provide children in their community with access to play, leisure, therapeutical and recreational facilities.
We are very happy to announce a £850 donation to Crackerjack’s Children’s Trust so they can purchase a sensory curtain and sensory bubble tube which will be used to assist children in their community who are living with sensory issues, are autistic or who are in need of support with their speech and learning development.
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust May 2023
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust are a well-established charity whose mission it is to protect wildlife and the natural world. They also aspire to ensure that children and their families understand the importance of nature and can enjoy it responsibly.
Not only do they look after nature, they also educate people about it.
This is why we are very excited to announce a donation of £2,038 to them so that a Forest Schools leader can go to four different schools in Stoke-on-Trent to deliver 6-week long sessions to children. This will help to teach children about the importance of the natural world and how to enjoy it whilst keeping it safe for the future.
The Cracked Slipper Company May 2023
The Cracked Slipper Company are a charity based in Hereford who support children through the education and participation of the performing arts. Their goal is to make drama, music, dance, creative writing, set design and costume design accessible to every child regardless of their race, sex or background.
We are proud to have donated £2,152 toward their Little Slippers classes that will see children aged 7-10 years old attend weekly free classes. The sessions will help to give the children confidence, make new friends, help those from a diverse background be part of a new social group and give the children a chance to do something they love.
Strongbones Children’s Charitable Trust May 2023
Strongbones Children’s Charitable Trust are a children’s charity based in Essex that supports children and young people who are living with severe disabilities and complex needs.
Their aim is to decrease social isolation for these children through supplying disability and educational equipment. They also provide educational opportunities and practical and emotional support to families.
We are extremely proud to have donated £1,800 SCCT to purchase fifteen literacy packs for children using their service to enjoy. Each pack contains a story telling speaker that children can read along to called a Tonie Audible Story Box, an Old McDonald story sack and Usborne Animal Sounds book.
Busy Bees Preschool April 2023
Busy Bees Preschool is a small school in Kingsclere near Newbury. It is the only formal childcare in the village. Their main aim is to provide a stimulating, safe and friendly environment for children to thrive through play.
To help the children learn more, they have organised a trip to Buckleberry Farm where the children can meet, learn about and feed pigs, donkeys, sheep, ponies, rabbits, chickens, alpacas, tortoises, Sika and Red and Fallow Deer.
We are pleased to announce that we are donating £500 towards this trip to ensure that the children from the school get the most out of learning away from school and with a different and engaging experience.
Helen and Douglas House April 2023
Helen & Doulas House provide everything that a child or their family need to ensure that they live as well and fully as possible to the end of their lives. They also support children whose brother or sister who are being cared for by the hospice. The effect on siblings of children with life-shortening illnesses can be drastic and can have a lasting negative consequence if not supported.
We are proud to announce and donation of £2,033.60 to Helen & Douglas House to fund two experienced part-time Siblings Teams Leaders who will provide sibling support to those whose family are receiving end of life care at the hospice.
Keep up the amazing work that you are doing with our community’s children.
Theodora Children's Charity April 2023
Theodora Children’s Charity’s Giggle Doctors do an amazing job in providing some light and laughter to children who are undergoing treatment or care in hospitals. They go into hospitals and play games, sing, tell stories and jokes to help the children take their mind off of their hospital stay.
We are delighted to announce a further £2,200 donation to help fund weekly four-hour long Giggle Doctor visits to Bradford Royal Infirmary. Each visit will interact with 27 children. By the end of the six visits, the donation will have helped 162 children.
We are very proud to be funding such an amazing project that is helping so many children have a brighter time in hospital.
Wokingham in Need April 2023
Wokingham in Need (WIN) are a community group who aim to support their whole community through fundraising, community events and volunteering.
Working with a local company called Circus Scene, WIN have applied for a grant to fund early years play and participation workshops. The workshops will use play, fun and games to help young people to improve their speech and listening, spatial awareness, physical movement and help to improve their mental health.
We are very pleased to announce that we have donated the £625 needed for this project to ensure that it can be carried out. We are proud to be working with a group that cares so much about their local community and supports those most in need.
Families United Network April 2023
Families United Network (FUN) are a Luton based community group who aim to improve the lives of children, young people and the families of, who are living with physical and learning disabilities in Bedfordshire.
FUN are running a free of charge holiday activity club to support over 200 children living with disabilities. The activities will include arts and crafts, large inflatables and soft play equipment, access to a sensory therapy room, music and dance, games and dressing up, construction toys and activities.
We are proud to be providing a £2,000 donation to run these free sessions for children living with disabilities in Bedfordshire. Keep up the amazing work!
6th Ellesmere Port Scouts March 2023
6th Ellesmere Port Scouts strive to provide new experiences and adventures for children by taking part in outdoor activities, learning by doing and most of all, by having fun.
The area of Ellesmere Port is a deprived area and the scout group have limited resources and funds. Many of the children who are in the group are from disadvantaged backgrounds or are living with disabilities.
We are proud to announce a donation to the scout group of £2,200 to help fund an overnight trip to Peter Gordon Lawrence in Lancashire to take part in adventure activities such as high ropes, abseiling, zip wire, archery, canoeing and campfire building. This will give the scouts an opportunity to try something new and benefit from time in nature.
Winston’s Wish March 2023
Winston’s Wish provide bereavement support for children and young people. It is extremely difficult for anyone to lose a loved one, especially children and young people. Last year they supported 22,728 children and young people across the UK who had lost a loved one.
Winston’s Wish support those in need by providing a free helpline, digital and on-demand services and by supporting individuals face to face and remotely. They also provide online and in-person grief support for groups of children and young people.
We are pleased to announce a donation of £2,000 to ensure that Winston’s Wish can run their project, Growing Hope. This project brings together bereaved children to monthly gardening sessions at their local primary schools. There is a strong link between connecting with nature and improved mental health. The donation will help to ensure that this project can be carried out in a further ten schools.
Heel and Toe February 2023
Heel and Toe Children’s Charity based in Pelton, County Durham are a charity who since 2008 have been providing free therapy and support to children with profound physical and neurological disabilities. They do this by providing education, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, massage therapy, occupational therapy and most recently, Hippotherapy.
Hippotherapy is the use of riding horses as a therapeutic and rehabilitative treatment.
We are proud to announce a £2,200 donation to Heal and Toe Children’s Charity to help fund these sessions with children who have cerebral palsy. The aim of the sessions is to improve function, balance and gait for. The funding will pay for 10 45-minute sessions each week and will enable Heel and Toe Children’s Charity to support around 70 children.
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices February 2023
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices cares for babies, children and young people who have life threatening conditions which makes it unlikely that they will live to adulthood. Many people that EACH care for are living with disabilities and complex conditions.
They are currently running a project that incorporates specialist play into to some of the young people’s routines. With the help from specialists, the sessions will provide: play with puppets, toys and costumes, story times, sensory play, construction, messy play, music, arts and food.
We are extremely proud to announce a £2,000 to donation to EACH to ensure these sessions can go ahead. From the sessions the young people and children will be able to enjoy time with their friends and family, help to improve their mental health with a series of different games and enjoy the things that most see as the norm for children to enjoy.
Sailing sessions for Moorvision January 2023
Moorvision is a charity based in Ivybridge, Devon that provides services and support children who are visually impaired or are blind. They support over 200 families who because of the low incidence rate of child blindness in their rural area, find it difficult to connect with other families who are facing the same challenges.
We are delighted to announce a £2,170 donation to Moorvision to help fund sailing sessions for the children they support. Our donation will be used to take two groups of children and young people sailing with the aim to help children increase their confidence, try something new, learn new skills and gain a sense of achievement.
We are very proud to be supporting Moorvision with the work they do for those in their community who are in need. We look forward to working together in the future.
Making Space for Craft December 2022
Making Space for Craft Ltd are an organisation based in Leigh Park, Hampshire that provide creative opportunities to children and young people in the area. Leigh Park wards are in the UK’s top 10% most deprived areas in the UK.
MSFC provide art sessions with fully qualified facilitators to engage children in creative arts that they may not have had the opportunity to try before. The sessions are accessible to all and fully inclusive. Participants will be able to try ceramics, textile design, jewellery making and origami.
We are delighted to announce a £2,154 donation towards these sessions that will duns two facilitators to lead the sessions and work with 216 participants over six days. The funding will also help to provide the hire of the studio room and materials.
We are very proud to be supporting an organisation that does so much in their community.
Autism Unlimited December 2022
We are proud to announce a £500 donation to Autism Unlimited through the Christchurch Rotary Club’s 2022 Living Advent.
Autism Unlimited are a charity based in Christchurch, Dorset who support and empower autistic children and their families. Through their work they find the best solutions to concerns, provide educational training and provide life skills training.
Along with providing children with autism the opportunities and training to live happy and fulfilled lives, Autism Unlimited also provide Autism Awareness induction courses and autism-friendly recruitment processes that have been designed to aid employers. Autism Unlimited are supporting people with autism, not only from the individual’s perspective but also from a wider perspective.
We are very proud to be supporting a local charity who are doing so much for children who often are overlooked by wider society and are in need of specialist support.
300 Meals for Hot Line Meals November 2022
Hot Line Meals, based in Stoke Newington, London, are a charity that provides children in the local area with the meals and nutrition they need. A lot of the families they support in the area are without the means to provide three meals a day for their children.
With the help from local authorities and volunteers, Hot Line Meals provide free meals to those in need in the area. Local families are referred to them by local schools, councils and authorities.
We are proud to announce a £2,220 donation to Hot Line Meals. The donation will be used for their winter project to provide meals for families who are challenged by ill health, disability or poverty. The donation will ensure that 25 children will be able to receive 300 fresh and nutritious meals.
We are very proud to be supporting such a great organisation doing so much good in their community.
10-week forest based programme for the Heart of England Forest November 2022
We are delighted to announce a donation of £2,200 to the Heart of England Forest to deliver a 10-week forest based programme for the pupils of Kingfisher School who have a range of physical and special educational needs and disabilities.
Our donation will support the delivery of a ten-week learning programme for pupils who struggle in a conventional school environment and have been excluded from mainstream school due to their special educational needs or because of social, emotional and mental health barriers.
A lot of the students do not have the experiences that you may expect from many 14-year-olds so the programme will give them a chance to build dens, cook on an open fire, climb trees and manage risks in an unfamiliar setting whilst building on their communication skills and confidence.
We are proud to be working with an organisation who does so much for young people facing challenges.
Wales Council for Deaf People October 2022
The Wales Council for Deaf People based in Pontypridd were established in 1950 and supports people from all over Wales who are suffering from hearing loss or deafness.
Being deaf can be an isolating and frustrating experience and especially for children who may not have come in contact with other deaf individuals which leaves them to believe they are the only deaf person. Being deaf can cut you off from others and produce barriers hearing counterparts who are not aware of a deaf individual’s circumstance.
WCDP are organising an activity weekend at Llangrannog Urdd for 10 children who are deaf so they can take part in indoor and outdoor activities. We are pleased to announce a £1,628 donation to help fund this trip.
The weekend will provide the children the opportunity to make new friends, support one another and develop a sense of independence whilst being away from their family for a few days.
Harmony Youth Project October 2022
Based in Bolton, Harmony Youth Project work closely with the community to provide support to young people to realise their potential through the creative arts such as music, photography and video. They support young people who have both found the project themselves or have been referred by schools.
At their Open Access sessions young people can engage for two evenings a week for three hours in creative activities that keep them away from potential harm and danger on the streets. The sessions are a safe place where the young people can improve on their skills and self-confidence.
We are delighted to announce a £2,200 donation to Harmony Youth Project for a qualified youth worker to lead 28 weeks’ worth of sessions with the young people for 6 hours per week. We are extremely proud to be working with an organisation that does so much great work with young people who are at potential harm from dangerous groups in the area.
Our continued support to Footsteps Foundation September 2022
We are proud to be working with Footsteps Foundation and continuing our support to the work they do and the children and young people they are constantly helping. Since 2004 they have worked with hundreds of children and families from all over the UK who need specialist help but cannot afford it or access it anywhere else.
Our first donation to Footsteps Foundation was for £1,300 and helped contribute to the cost of ‘Spider Therapy’ sessions for children. Our latest donation has been for £5,500 which will fund a free pair of specialised orthopaedic MEMO shoes for one-hundred children who uses the centre. The shoes a recommended by specialists and are essential in aiding progress in the children’s physiotherapy sessions.
We are proud to be continuing to support such a great organisation who are making a difference in so many children and young people’s lives. Read more.
Our toy donation to Ronald McDonald House in Tooting September 2022
The Ronald McDonald House in Tooting is a home away from home for children and young people who are receiving treatment at St George’s hospital. Here they can be close with their families, enjoy time away from intrusive treatments and have a place to feel at home and relax. The children who stay or visit the house take part in arts and crafts, have toys to play with, have spaces to relax in with their family in a home setting and somewhere to stay which is close to the hospital they are being treated in.
We are extremely proud to announce that we have donated £1,000 worth of toys to Ronald McDonald House, Tooting. They toy include a trampoline, a wooden doctor surgery set, bubbles, arts and crafts equipment and soft toys. We hope that these will make a welcomed addition to the play room at the house and the children who benefit from the house can have years of fun from the them.
Art Therapy Sessions for The Purple Elephant Project September 2022
Based in Twickenham, London, The Purple Elephant Project provides long term one to one support for children aged 0-16 in the Greater London Area who have been affected by traumatic life experiences, developmental or attachment concerns. They provide therapeutic sessions, emotional support, training to parents, school staff and carers, and play therapy.
They are running a series of family art therapy sessions that will provide six families therapy with their children in a relaxed and fun atmosphere through art.
Little Lives UK are proud to announce a donation of £2,085 that will help to fund therapist fees, sessions delivery, equipment, clean up and admin support. The sessions are run by a fully qualified art therapist who will with the families to alleviate mental health distress by working through challenging and traumatic early life events. Using art, the therapy will help families express themselves in response to mental health related behaviours.
The Rainbow Youth Centre September 2022
The Rainbow Youth Centre is a Darwen based youth centre that supports young LGBTQI+ people who are suffering with mental health issues such as loneliness, depression and anxiety. The youth centre provides a safe space for the community where people can seek advice, make friends and comfortably socialise whilst getting involved in community events free from prejudice, judgement, expectations or bullying. The youth centre acts a safe place for the community to be themselves and meet like-minded people who may be going through the same experiences as them.
We are pleased to announce a £1,900 donation to The Rainbow Youth Centre to be used to purchase more musical instruments, sports equipment and litter picking tools and high-vis vests so the group can continue their community work of cleaning up local green spaces. The work that The Rainbow Youth Centre are doing is invaluable and we are very proud to be supporting them.
Arising Tutoring September 2022
Arising Tutoring CIC are a London based organisation that aims to support children who live in the Highbury and Islington area. They support children who are living in disadvantaged families that are more likely to face disruption with their learning at home. Arising Tutoring CIC run a project called ‘The Catchup Support Project’ which gives children the opportunity for extra support they need out of school hours to do their homework, study and complete any missed classwork. The project supports children by offering Maths, English and Science tuition.
We are proud to announce that we have donated £2,200 to Arising Tutoring CIC to cover the costs of resources such as exercise books, calculators, pens, geometry sets, calculators and other materials needed for tuition. We are very pleased to be supporting such a great organisation who are doing so much for the young people of Islington and Highbury.
Young and Inspired - Flying Colors Art Therapy Depot August 2022
Young and Inspired are a London based charity who support over 450 young people and families in Hackney and the neighbouring boroughs who are affected by poverty, gang behaviour, addiction and adverse childhood experiences. Young and Inspired aim to give children the childhood and teenage years they deserve by providing them with the same experiences and tools as their peers, ensuring that no young person has to mature prematurely.
We are delighted to announce a £2,000 donation to Young and Inspired to help run their Flying Colours Art Depot. Here young people will be engaged through art and emotional learning goals at no cost to them. Marginalised teens will have the chance to interact positively with others, learn new social skills and have a chance to improve on their mental health through free arts, drawing and painting courses, landscape painting and art group therapy.
Berkshire Vision for child sight loss support groups August 2022
Berkshire Vision have been supporting families in Berkshire with sightless for the past 110 years. Their service provides practical and friendly advice, support, activities and sport to those in the community and their families who are suffering from sight loss. Their aim is to help develop confidence and regain independence.
We are delighted to announce that we have donated £900 to Berkshire Vision to help run a series of sessions, in partnership with the Berkshire Sensory Consortium Service, for children aged 0-5 years old who are experiencing sight loss. Our funding will go towards buying sensory equipment such as specialist toys for the group, musical instruments and hall hire to ensure that the sessions can take place.
The purpose of the sessions is to help support the children and their families with the difficulties but also the unique nature of sight loss, and sight loss at a young age.
Funky Tots Sessions for the Freedom Foundation Jun 2022
Freedom Foundation CIC in Nottingham aims to improve children’s physical and mental wellbeing through music, dance and mentoring. Founded in 2018, they have been providing arts and education projects within schools, alternative provisions and within their community.
Using dance and music, children can be taught how to make songs and create dance routines whilst FFCIC help the children with the tools that will improve their wellbeing, understand the impact that social media has on their health and embrace their identity.
We are very proud to announce that we have donated £2,195 to Freedom Foundation CIC to ensure that 12 week’s worth of sessions for 25 children can be held. The sessions are an hour long and give an opportunity for parents, carers and grandparents to participate in the sessions with the children.
By the end of the 12 weeks, children will have learnt new ways to stay healthy and active, new ways to talk and communicate and be more confident and understanding in their emotions.
Our donation to Designability Charity Jun 2022
Designability are a charity organisation who since 1968 have been designing and creating products to enable those living with disabilities to live a more independent life and to overcome the challenges they face.
The products that are designed are designed in collaboration with those who will be using them, meaning that they are fit for use.
Designability have been running their Wizzybug Loan Scheme which allows families with children living with disabilities to have a free loan of one of their Wizzybug powered mobility wheelchair. The Wizzybug is a small, powered wheelchair that not only looks great but gives children with disabilities the opportunity to explore independently instead of being pushed around. Currently 150 children are being supported through this scheme.
This is why we are proud to announce a £2,220 donation to help towards the refurbishment of a Wizzybug wheelchair. This will ensure that another child will be able to benefit from the scheme and gain greater independence than before.
Voyages for the Tall Ships Youth Trust Jun 2022
The Tall Ships Youth Trust based in Portsmouth, Hampshire are the UK’s oldest and largest youth development sailing charity. They offer life life-changing voyages for disadvantaged young people. The voyages offered to the young people help to develop life skills, social skills, confidence and self-esteem of the children to realise their true potential and make positive life choices. The voyages will also help to encourage a healthy lifestyle and get them involved in volunteering and for many helps them lead into a career in the maritime industry.
From the trust’s experience, children who are from disadvantaged backgrounds don’t have the same opportunities as other children, they can feel that they are defined only by their background and this has a knock-on effect on their self-esteem.
The project’s aim is to enable 8 children to take part in a 4-night residential voyage.
This is why we are delighted to announce a donation of £2,000 to the TSYT to help towards costs of the voyage. The young people will learn how to work as a team and will learn how to learn a respect and tolerate others in the small community which is a ship.
Our Donation to Tunbridge Wells Youth for Christ May 2022
Tunbridge Wells Youth for Christ aims to provide young people of the community a place to access mentoring and chaplaincy in a reflective space. The TWYFC seeks to support the children’s spiritual, moral, mental health and social development through the projects they run.
A lot of children that use the youth centre also come in to complete their homework and socialise with their friends and have time away from disruptive home lives.
Through our Children’s Community Support programme, we have donated a total of £1,594 to the TWYFC to purchase 12 Android tablets. These tablets will ensure that children that use the drop in café have the chance to complete their homework in a safe and controlled environment.
The tablets can also be used to teach the children how to safely use the internet responsibly and safely carry out their own research when they need it for their homework and schoolwork.
We are pleased to be supporting such a great organisation who are doing so much good work to help children in their local community.
Our Donation to Beyond Autism for iPads May 2022
Beyond Autism (Early Years) in Bromley, is a charity that aims to support everyone with autism by helping to provide the right sort of education fit for their needs. They aim to empower a life full of choice, opportunity and independence. The support they offer is free for parents and carers to attend with their children aged 15 months to 5 years old.
Some children may not be reaching ‘typical milestones’ in education because a difference in their speech, language or behaviour, BA (EY) help parents who are concerned and provide the best support available to aid their children.
Children within Bromley are facing over a two year waiting list to access autism diagnostic services and support which means a majority of the children and their parents, are left unsupported through a difficult time. BA (EY) ensures that everyone in the community who is concerned about their child’s development, can access support.
This is why we are delighted to announce that we have donated £1,750 to help fund the purchase of four iPads and resources for speech and language sessions. With this equipment, BA (EY) can provide fast and efficient support to those who need it.
Gymnastics Play Sessions at Waveney Gymnastics Club May 2022
The Waveney Gymnastics Club in Lowestoft works with the local community to support children who are living in disadvantaged backgrounds or are living with disabilities. They help them by giving them access to play sessions and equipment that can help improve their confidence, self-esteem, physical and mental wellness.
The WGC offers children on the community a chance to join in with tumbling classes, trampoline classes, parkour, squad gymnastics and holiday camps.
We are delighted to announce that we are going to be donating £1,500 to the WGC to help to run their summer camps which will be free for children. The classes are open to children of the area regardless of their background, ethnicity, ability or education.
The WGB makes these inclusive classes fun for everyone who wants to join in with them and wants to aim to support children with whatever issues they may be facing through the use of gymnastics. We are pleased to be support the WGC and all the hard work they are doing.
Our donation to help free holiday camps for the Champions Community Support Health CIC April 2022
The Champions Community Support Health CIC in Leeds help children and young people to increase activity, social cohesion and provides activities to discourage and stop children becoming involved in gangs and anti-social behaviour by providing free turn up and play football sessions. Their aim is to provide free sports sessions for children who are living in a deprived area of South Leeds irrespective of their ability or background. During the summer holidays, the CCSH CIC will be running a free summer holiday camp, running four days a week for four weeks, for children to have something constructive and fun to do in a safe and controlled environment.
Little Lives UK is providing £1,500 of funding to the CCSH CIC to provide free and healthy packed lunches for all of the children who attend the camp.
This makes the camps totally free for the children and means that parents who may not be able to afford other summer time clubs can be safe in the knowledge that their children will have a free, constructive, fun, safe and healthy activity to do whilst not at school at the same time as receiving a free healthy lunch.
Donation for playschemes for the Family Information Group CIC April 2022
The Family Information Group in Romford in Essex provides support and services for disabled children and their carers. Working with the community, the FIG provide access to services that best help and encourage them to be successful, giving particular attention to ensuring that the children enjoy learning and can grow to become resilient and healthy adults.
During the summer the FIG run daytrips for children to help alleviate any stress caused to children who are out of their daily routines. A lot of families and carers with disabled children have said that when schools are closed for the summer, the lack of routine is difficult on the children and finding something to do to fill their time and keep them occupied is a struggle.
This is why we are so pleased to announce a donation of £1,500 to the FIG to help run day trips for a totally of 90 children to visit local amusements like Diggerland, Willow Farm Village and other educational activity centres.
This will give both the children and their carers are respite during the holidays.
Specialist Surf Sessions for Wild and Free CIC April 2022
Wild and Free CIC are a change in the community company in Christchurch in Dorset who provide sessions for children with physical and mental health troubles. The therapeutic benefits of being in and by the sea, are well-evidenced. Wild and Free Therapy harness these aspects and we also utilise the key element of psychoeducation.
WIFCIC identified that some therapy that is not offered in the mainstream have become vital in helping children in the community. Research with local families has told us that despite the majority of children with disabilities loving the beach and the sea, families find it difficult or impossible to find sea-based activities for their child to take part in, due to accessibility issues, and also the lack of an inclusive approach from mainstream providers.
We are proud to announce a donation of £1,500 that will help to fund a programme of weekly sessions, lasting 8 weeks, that accommodate 6-8 participants. The group of participants may be a group of children with disabilities or a group of children with mental health needs.
The funding will help to provide surf coaches and physiotherapists and equipment hire which includes a specially adapted surfboard that children with physical disabilities can use safely.
Our £1,500 donation to the Children’s Art School April 2022
We are very pleased to announce a donation of £1,500 to The Children’s Art School in Holmfirth. Since being founded in 2015, the CAS have made it their aim and commitment to teach children creative and fun ways of learning.
Their main activities provide art classes and workshops for children and young people through a Saturday Art School, after school clubs, creative experience days for schools and creating art works with children and young people for public exhibition, arts festivals and community events.
Since 2021 the CAS has been developing Maker World in Huddersfield’s Piazza Centre to create a hub which uses imagination, creativity and play to build friendships, develop a positive sense of place, support well-being and promote tolerance between Huddersfield’s diverse communities. Maker World aims to engage with families who wouldn’t usually access arts opportunities. Activities are free and it’s ‘high street’ location and visibility is key allowing us to engage with children from nearby deprived areas.
The project that we have donated funding towards, targets early years children over six drop in sessions and will encourage children and families from deprived areas of Huddersfield, who wouldn’t usually participate in the arts and will welcome children into a creative community, developing skills in creativity and offering play, socialisation, positivity and laughter.
Funding for the Footsteps Foundation ‘Spider Therapy’ April 2022
The Footsteps Foundation are a charity based in Wallingford that aims to improve the life of children with neurological conditions, providing them with intensive physiotherapy that will help live with their conditions.
Each year the Footsteps Foundation funds a bespoke therapy for around a hundred children, who come for three-week blocks of therapy, multiple times per year. They support children with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, who are offered just one or two hours of physiotherapy per month on the NHS. Footsteps Foundation is therefore filing a serious gap in provision of intensive physiotherapy for disabled children.
Little Lives UK are proud to announce a donation of £1,300 to provide a specialist physiotherapy called Footsteps Spider Physiotherapy. The ‘Spider’ is a simple piece of equipment that enables therapists to support children with low muscle tone whilst doing strength and coordination-building exercises. Therapists then attach elastic ropes to harnesses, forming a ‘spider’s web’ supporting the child’s body. This can be used to assist them in holding kneeling, sitting or standing positions, depending on the therapy goals.
With the gaps in provisions that are available, Footsteps Foundation are providing an excellent service for children who really are in need of this specialist care.
Glenview Farm Equine Learning Centre March 2022
We are pleased to announce a £900 donation towards the Glenview Farm Equine Learning Centre’s afterschool pony club, Pony Pals. The funding will go towards the running if the sessions and towards the upkeep of the stables and ponies.
Based in Northern Ireland, GFELC has been providing an innovative and proven learning experience, facilitated by certified professionals to accelerate transformational change in children who have a range of concerns such as being absent from school, have mental and physical health difficulties, are from isolated families or are ‘looked after children’ who are part of the social services system.
The sessions aim to provide exercise, give the opportunity to learn to care for horses which will teach many life skills including; perseverance, responsibility, patience, communication, trust and the value of working towards goals. Unlink in many other sports, these sessions will also give an opportunity to enhance emotional bonds, giving the opportunity for the children to make a bond with their pony partner as well as the other children who participate.
The children will have access to 9 weekly sessions that will teach them how to properly groom a pony, muck out stables, work in teams, feed and care for their ponies. By the end of the project the children will have learnt self awareness, self regulation, internal motivation, empathy and social skills.
Funding for the Sheiling School’s Sensory Room March 2022
Sheiling School is a specialist school and children’s home for children and young people aged 6-19 with special educational needs, it provides pupils with a safe, secure and nurturing home environment. They also offer a wide variety of therapies, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, art therapy, drama therapy and massage therapy.
When some of the children become overwhelmed, they need to time for themselves to escape what is making them stressed or anxious. The Sheiling School are starting a project to build a sensory room. Sensory rooms have been proven to help children with motor troubles and certain mental health issues.
We are pleased to announce a donation of £1,500 towards the building of a sensory room at the school for the children. The funding will help to cover the cost of glow in the Dark Floor cushions, giant beanbags, a portable bubble tube, a sensory fibre optic curtain, an aura projector, mark making sequin long boards, a layabout snug mat and a sit on peanut balance ball. The use of this equipment helps to reduce anxiety and stress with its array of lights, sounds and feels that help to stimulate the children.
Our continuing support for the Feltham Police Boxing Club March 2022
For the past two years we have been supporting the Feltham Police Boxing Club with running sessions for children of the area who need an activity to occupy their time instead of being led into anti-social behaviour, which has been identified as a problem in the area.
We are very happy to announce that we will be supporting the club again with a donation of £2,016 to help run 48 sessions between April 2022 and March 2023.
The sessions are heavily subsidised and only cost the children who attend £2 a session. There has been growing interest and attendance to the sessions. It is run by volunteers and the donation from ourselves and the nominal fee, helps to contribute towards the rent for the club, equipment and training courses for the volunteers so that they can safely teach boxing.
Boxing in a small amateur club like this one helps children in the area make new friends, work on their socialising skills, maintain and improve their fitness, escape from the ‘real-world’ for a while, learn a new skill and occupy their time so there is less of a chance in being involved in anti-social behaviour.
Our donation towards a summer residential for the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre March 2022
The Sylvia Beaufoy Centre in Petworth is a youth centre that gives the opportunity for children of the area to have a place to learn new skills, socialise and escape the sense of isolation that can often be felt by young people who live in the countryside.
Even though Petworth has been described as one of the most desirable places to live, the transport links for young people are sporadic, which means it is hard for them to visit the bigger towns nearby.
This summer, the SBC want to give the opportunity for 35 young people and the required staff to stay at Brathay in the Lake District where they can learn new skills, try new activities and socialise with their friends from the youth club in a different environment to what they are used to.
We are pleased to announce a £1,500 donation to this project to help fund this residential.
As a lot of children of the families in the area don’t have the disposable income for a holiday, this summer residential offers them a chance to meet new people, try new things and spend time with their current friends.
Free Crafting Workshops for Making Space for Craft March 2022
Based in Leigh Park in Havant, Making Space for Craft, will be running summer workshops that give the opportunity for children of the area, who are in some of the highest deprived areas in the country, to use their creative side in a friendly and comfortable environment whilst making friends and improving their confidence and ability to socialise with others.
The area which this project is based in is in the top 10% of deprived areas in the UK and the number of low-income families and the rates of unemployment are much higher than the national average.
Little Lives UK is pleased to announce a donation of £1,424 through our Children’s Community Support programme to support the free for children activities with a prospected 288 participants over the summer.
The workshops are designed and run by skilled makers and artists in air dry clay, weaving, beading, painting and fabric painting. The workshops have been designed to increase the confidence of the children, inspire them to be more creative, help make friends in the area and gain new experiences in an area which relies heavily on a single community centre for children’s activities.
We are proud to be supporting Making Space for Craft and the work they do in inspiring children and enhancing their creative side.
Our Donation to the Caedmon Company for Drama Workshops March 2022
The Caedmon Company are a company of professional artists and healthcare workers that use performance art to help improve the well-being of socially disadvantaged children and young people in educational settings. Their goal is to develop a lasting partnership with Darlinghurst Primary School, Essex and the wider community of Southend-on-Sea whilst delivering life-changing projects for young people.
The company will be running a six-week project called ‘The Hero’s Journey’ for pupil premium children that have been signposted to the company by the school leadership team.
We are pleased to announce a donation of £1,242.30 to help support this amazing project.
The children will have the opportunity to travel to the West End in London and take part in sessions, in inspirational settings, that are arts, creative writing and acting based with the hope to improve their confidence, enhance their creative side and give them skills to reintegrate with community.
We are so pleased to be supporting this project with funding as it is a service that is so desperately needed and helps so many children in a creative and fun way.
Sensory Room Equipment for The Disability Union March 2022
The Disability Union are based near Southampton and help to support those living with disabilities live an independent life. The union was created for disabled people and their carers by disabled people.
They have recently been running a sensory group for children who are disabled to help them with their confidence and communication skills. With recent cuts to council services, the Disability Union is doing everything they can to ensure that children of the area receive the services that are so desperately needed.
We have gladly donated £1,500 towards the running of these sensory sessions and the equipment needed to run them.
The sessions help children living with disabilities by using colour, dance, song, bubbles, stories, music making, arts and crafts and games. ‘Little One’s Sensory Play’ runs three times a week, one hour online and two hours in person.
Those who need help readjusting after long periods of isolation and families that need advice on how to support their disabled children can access the help they need at the sessions with the Disability Union.
This a hugely needed service in the area and the Disability Union is doing some amazing work to ensure those who are marginalised in our society get the support they need.
Donation to MahaDevi Yoga Centre for Sessions February 2022
We are pleased to announce a donation of £1,500 to the MahaDevi Yoga Centre to help fund 60 one-to-one sessions that will be free for children. The sessions will be for children with disabilities, special needs or mental health concerns such anxiety, insomnia and depressions who are from low-income families.
The techniques used in the special kind of yoga helps to relieve tension and helps to build their physical and mental wellbeing. The aim is to ensure that the children being supported will become empowered, confident individuals who are more resilient and outgoing.
Their therapeutic work has a track record of wide-ranging benefits: it improves strength, flexibility, posture and balance, increases body control, helps to regulate the body’s internal systems, increases focus, sleep and promotes calm mental states for the children.
Another aim of the sessions is to help reduce the possibility of isolation and loneliness experienced by the children by improving their confidence and self-esteem. We are so pleased to be working with such a great organisation who are using these techniques to make such a difference in so many children’s lives within the community.
Christchurch Amateur Boxing Club’s Exercise Bikes and Funding for Free Children’s Sessions February 2022
We have recently partnered with the Christchurch Amateur Boxing Club who run sessions for children in the community. The sessions not only help to improve children’s physical health but also their mental health through boxing training sessions.
We are delighted to have donated £1,080 to ensure that three children of the local area can access these training sessions for six months for free. Without the donation the three children wouldn’t be able to access the sessions because of their family situation who wouldn’t be able to afford it.
The boxing club is also in need of two new static exercise bikes for use in the sessions for children. We have also donated £1,398 to the Christchurch ABC to fund the purchase of these bikes.
The club runs sessions most nights a week and children of the area get the chance to train and play in a close-knit community and improve their mental and physical health by learning new skills from a dedicated team of coaches. The children who attend the club can also make new friends whilst keeping them occupied in the evenings and weekends instead of staying out on the street and possibly getting into trouble.
Our Continuing support to Strength and Learning Through Horses February 2022
Through our Children’s Community Support campaign, in May 2021, we supported the fantastic project that Strength and Learning Through Horses have been running that teaches young people who are struggling with their mental health how to care and look after horses. The ultimate aim is to help to improve their mental health over a six-week programme by working as a team to look after the horses.
We are excited to announce that we have now donated a further £4,000 towards this project so it can continue for another group of children who need their help.
SALTH is an organisation with a difference, they give the opportunity to children who live in the city the experience of working towards transferrable, real-life skills in a rural setting. Whilst caring for the horses, the young people will learn how to work as a team, communicate effectively with each other, learn new skills and gain the opportunity to discuss and work on their mental health concerns with like-minded people and the professionals who work at the stables.
Under 5s Nursery with the Laughter Specialists Charitable Trust February 2022
The Laughter Specialists Charitable Trust aims to bring happiness and joy to children who are living with disabilities in and around Essex. They help children who are in need of support and help them by teaching them communication through laughter and joy and by offering a bespoke service that truly helps.
We are proud to announce that we are supporting the Laughter Specialists Charitable Trust with funding for three month’s worth of bi-monthly sessions with children up to the age of 5 years old with learning disabilities.
The sessions will encourage the children to learn various ways of communicating with each other, not just through play and laughter but through techniques that they can use in everyday life and when they are at school.
The aim of the sessions is to encourage the children to be more confident, find their own voice and ways of interacting with other children. The LSCT use trained specialists who are not only skilled in entertainment skills including comedy, improvisation, magic and music but we are also have an understanding of child psychology and development.
The use of their techniques has proved previously successful, they support a mute child aged 8 who has now said his first words after participating and learning from their sessions.
Intervention Acting Group with Drama in Mind February 2022
Drama in Mind is a workshop that uses drama as a way for children to express their bottled-up feelings after traumatic events such as caring for family members, bereavement or challenging times at school, in a creative and fun way. We are excited to announce that we have donated £1,500 towards the running of a six-week project in a local school in Grays that will give the chance for children to explore their feelings through acting and sketches in front of their peers.
The workshops will not only help to boost the children’s confidence but also encourages relationship building and socialising skills. Drama techniques are incorporated with public speaking practise, which a lot of the children are nervous about. The public speaking element is used for the older children within the group sessions but all children benefit from it as a way of learning how to interact others in all social situations.
The group sessions will also act as an intervention group that children can look forward to and talk about their week’s experiences in, whilst performing their devised pieces in front of their friends.
Gardening Equipment for the Lincolnshire Wolds Federation February 2022
The Lincolnshire Wolds Federation provides education for children with profound learning difficulties and complex needs. Though the students they look after have a wide variety of needs, a large majority are on the autistic spectrum.
Attached to the St Lawrence School is their Outdoor Learning Centre School Farm, where the children have a great opportunity to get hands on experience with animals, nature and gardening which in turn can help to improve their mental and physical wellbeing whilst learning new skills.
We are pleased to announce a donation of £1,350 a project called Gardening Opportunities for Children with Additional Needs. The money donated will help to buy suitably sixed gardening equipment for the younger students and to buy a lawnmower and strimmer that can be safely used by children with disabilities.
By having the appropriate tools for activities such as mowing, weeding, strimming, digging and planting; the children will learn practical, hands-on skills that will encourage them to engage with nature and with their peers. The children will also learn about the importance of horticulture and agriculture in a safe and fun way whilst helping to boost their confidence.
Giggle Doctor Visits for the Children of The Royal Alexandra Hospital, Sussex February 2022
The Theodora Children’s Charity have been working hard with their Giggle Doctors, travelling and visiting 21 hospitals, 3 hospices and 2 specialist care centres across England, to bring some joy and laughter to children.
The Giggle Doctors are comprised of professional performers who have been trained to work in a medical environment as fun loving, funny doctors whilst combing storytelling, music, dancing and play to the brave children in care.
We are so pleased to announce a donation of £1,500 to fund the fees of eight Giggle Doctors to visit the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Sussex to visit around 104 children within their 4-hour slot.
The Giggle Doctors area so important to the children who are in medical care as they help to reduce stress and anxiety, improve the experience of a hospital stay, and providing the children with some needed company after the isolation of COVID-19.
The play they provide is always child-led and with each interaction being suited to the child’s individual needs, making each experience unique for the children. The Theodora Children’s Charity and their Giggle Doctors are doing some amazing work to help some of the country’s sickest children and bringing them some joy and happiness in a sad situation.
Family Support Coordinator for Home-Start Elmbridge January 2022
Home-Start Elmbridge have been working in Elmbridge since April 2019 and have helped and supported over 100 families, over 230 children and over 40 volunteers to create happier and healthier futures.
This is done by supporting families and children in their homes with practical and emotional support and by the use of Family Support Coordinators that regularly go to family homes to offer their support and to provide advice to the volunteers who carry out such great work with children of the area.
We are pleased to announce a donation of £1,500 to Home-Start Elmbridge to help to fund a Family Support Coordinator to visit the families in the community who are most in need. The FSC will go to homes in the community to encourage parents to engage with their children in a more effective manner and to help families and the children in the families with their confidence and self-esteem. They also teach the families new ways of engagement and ways to support each other. The FSCs will visit the families at least every six weeks but more often than not, communication is much more regular. This service is a much needed one all over the UK and we are proud to be supporting Home-Start Elmbridge.
Basildon Parents4Parents January 2022
Basildon Parents4Parents are a charity that aim to enhance the development and education of children in the Basildon area by providing accessible support to both the parents and children. The aim of the charity is to help parents engage with their children in an effective manner.
Little Lives UK are delighted to be supporting Basildon Parents4Parents with their latest project, Conn-x. We have donated £1,328 towards the project that hopes to further self-esteem of children who are diagnosed with ADHD/ASD, have a social communication disorder or who may be socially anxious. The children who will be benefitting from this project also struggle with mainstream school setting, so the safe environment provided give the children a chance to explore social interactions that they may not always get within their schools.
The aim for the project is to naturally help children try new things at their own pace whilst inspiring them and helping them with techniques to deal with their anxiety.
We are so proud to be supporting such a great charity carry out such vital work for children in Basildon who are in need. The techniques taught by Basildon Parents4Parents are vital for helping children with ADHD in the area.
Toys and Donation to Ashley’s Birthday Bank December 2021
Ashley’s Birthday Bank was set up in 2014 to ensure that all children will receive a birthday and Christmas present each year up to the age of 16 if their family cannot afford one or if the child is living in a situation where they won’t receive one. They also help provide vital services to children who are the victim of exploitation, abuse, human-trafficking, neglect and domestic violence in and around the BCP area (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole).
This Christmas, ABB has been selected by the Christchurch Rotary Club to be honoured at a local charity ’Living Advent’ service on Christmas Eve and to be the recipient of a £500 donation. Each charity selected are honoured with a live performance ranging from musicians, dance groups and comedians.
Little Lives UK are pleased to have donated the £500 to Ashley’s Birthday Bank and passed along a box of toys that were very kindly donated from a company in London.
ABB carry out vital work in ensuring that the children who need help get it, they also do an amazing job in making all children feel special and wanted at the time of year that is enjoyed by so many around the UK.
Sport Facility for BLISS=Ability December 2021
Bliss Ability based in South Tyneside have been working hard within their community to provide support, attention and activities to children of the local area. The area they are based in is categorised in the top 15 most deprived wards of South Tyneside.
The urban area has a lot of families who have disabled children or children with learning difficulties and they struggle to find activities nearby that cater for their children, so BLISS=Ability are going to be hiring a facility where the children can go to play, integrate with others their age and be part of the community again.
Little Lives UK is delighted to have donated £1,098 to this cause so that children can attend the sports facility for an hour a week for a whole year where they can participate in sports such as cricket, football, beanbag throwing, badminton and hockey. The facility will act as a community hub, where the children of the area and their families can come together to play and integrate.
BLISS=Ability do some amazing work in South Tyneside and Little Lives UK is proud to be supporting them and trying to make a difference in some of the areas most deprived areas.
Building a Sensory Room at Branksome Community Centre December 2021
Christmas is the busiest time of year for children’s charities and is the time of year where their hard work can really be seen clearer and see the impact the year-round dedication has on children in need. From present donations to building help, art movements to fundraising events, the Christmas period is always frenzied for which we are glad for.
Recently we have started working with Dorset Children’s Foundation, on a local project at the Branksome Community Centre to build a sensory room for local children to use. Little Lives UK have donated money towards buying a new Sensory Pod for use at the centre. The pod will provide a safe space within the sensory room for children with complex behavioural and mental needs to relax and unwind. Sensory rooms are such an important and vital tool for any community centre to have when it comes to looking after children with challenging behaviour, it not only provides a safe space for the children but also offers the parents a much-needed respite.
Both Little Lives UK and the Dorset Children’s Foundation have also announced their continuing support in helping to source other materials for the Branksome Community Centre sensory room. This includes soft play equipment, a parachute to produce different coloured lighting in the whole room, different light bulbs to change the atmosphere and even the possibility of getting some volunteers to help paint the room.
Acting sessions at the Polka Children’s Theatre November 2021
Little Lives UK are pleased to announce a donation of £1,500 to the Polka Children’s Theatre in Wimbledon so they can start to run a series of after-school, half term and summer weeks sessions where participants can produce and perform their own play whilst working with the amazing team at the theatre.
The Polka Children’s theatre has been running has been running for several decades to provide theatre to young people in London and provide an area for your people to relax and escape into the world of acting.
The sessions being funded by Little Lives UK will help to pay for practitioners and specialist staff to provide sessions that are suited for the children who are referred to the theatre by schools. The sessions are for children who are at risk of social exclusion because of their home circumstances, behavioural issues at school or having cultural barriers if they have just arrived in the country.
The sessions will be provided for fifteen children and will enable them to develop communication skills, socialise with others, work on their team skills, realise their potential and learn dramatic skills in a safe and fun environment. The children will also feel a sense of achievement after completing their performance at the same time as improving their self-confidence, self-esteem, conflict resolution and verbal communication.Amazing work being carried out by the Polka Children’s Theatre that Little Lives UK is so proud to support.
Aidexcel - Supporting parents, to support children September 2021
Based in Barnet in North London, Aidexcel have been working to support services to their local community. Their focus is supporting parents and carers with children ages 0-25 who have mental, physical or sensory disabilities. Young people living with difficulties face a huge number of challenges, such as processing sensory information and can make seemingly ordinary situations feel overwhelming
Little Lives UK is proud to have supported Aidexcel with funding for 10–16-year-olds Fencing Lessons. The project will support seven disadvantaged young people with challenging behaviours. The aim from the sessions, delivered by Fighting Fit Fencing, will be to help to improve the participant’s physical fitness and body awareness through fun. All of the skills learned through this project can be transferred into everyday skills.
Loneliness from the lockdowns, resulting in a lack of confidence, have been reported by Aidexcel, this has a knock effect on to young people’s self-esteem and idea of self-worth. With projects like this, young people can build their self-confidence again.
Along with the fencing classes, Aidexcel have been vital in supporting parents through the lockdowns who have struggled with the ever-changing situation for their children and the lack of other much needed social services.
Holborn Community Association – Under 5’s Activities September 2021
Little Lives UK are pleased to announce a donation to the Holborn Community Association which helped to fund Under 5’s activity days.
The HCA support individuals from within Holborn and aim to create a strong, varied and vibrant community. This is done by giving individuals the opportunities to learn new skills, bringing people together to have fun and to build relationships. Four main areas are covered; Arts, Movement, Care and Play.
The under 5’s Play sessions have been vital in bringing families and young people together, whilst running holiday activities for children at outdoor venues, the HCA have given the opportunity to explore local environments through play and art. Their projects Arts for Children and Young People, Arts Outreach and Arts for Well-Being, have an emphasis on improving the mental wellbeing of children.
In August, the HCA ran 10 days of Under 5’s Activities. The aim is to improve the confidence and motor skills of children. Hoping they will be more interested in trying new activities. Through the activities put on, the children can build social skills and develop friendships, or make new friends within their community, this will lead to better networks and the confidence to attend further projects.
London Basketball Association August 2021
Established in 2012, the London Basketball Association strives to benefit young people through their ethos of engagement and prevention and addressing specific issues young people face that can result in compounded difficulties in their adult lives if not addressed.
The donation from Little Lives UK has helped to contribute towards a twelve-month long project called BOOST (Basketball for Outstanding Opportunities, Skills and Training). This project has a multi-dimensional approach which concentrates on mentoring, development and a training programme which incorporates Basketball into improving mental wellbeing, engaging with peers and staying active.
The London Basketball Association helps young people mainly from the areas of Lambeth, Brent and Westminster but also cover the whole of London. A lot of the participants are from the BAME (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) and young NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training).
Schemes like this are so important as research conducted by the London Basketball Association found that 78% of the young people that they support are on the margins of crime and gangs, at risk of engaging in crime and anti-social behaviour. The project provides an outlet that helps occupy young people instead of them bowing to the peer pressure to join gangs and gain the so-called respect from what is perceived to come from it.
Therapy 4 Healing August 2021
Therapy 4 Healing are a project who help young disabled people who have a physical or cognitive difference, they help to improve physical and mental health with therapy through 1-2-1 and group sessions.
Those who often live isolated lives and are suffering from long-term or chronic physical or mental health difficulties are helped through sessions that include relaxation, managing anxiety, pain management and therapeutic techniques. And, with help from partnerships with food projects, T4H have been able to support those who have become further isolated by COVID 19.
Because of the COVID Lockdown, T4H haven’t been able to see their regular beneficiaries or accept any new ones, but with help from Little Lives UK, twenty-four 1-2-1 therapy sessions for young disabled people could take place at T4H’s inviting centre in Lewisham. The non-exclusive therapy sessions within the project include massage, stretching, pain management and anxiety management with the goal of reducing stress, physical pain, anxiety and giving the beneficiary the relief from isolation that they may have been feeling throughout the pandemic.
T4H offer a safe and non-exploitive touch for the beneficiaries through their therapy sessions that can help to alleviate the stresses and feeling of isolation that has occurred during the lockdown period.
Magpie Dance August 2021
Little Lives UK are pleased to announce a donation to Magpie Dance in Bromley. Here, young people with learning difficulties, who are often excluded from some aspects of society can learn about being themselves fully and discover their social and artistic potential through dance.
For 36 years Magpie Dance has helped the young people of Bromley improve their confidence, social skills, independence and physical and mental health.
40% of people living with learning disabilities experience mental health problems at any point (compared to 17% of general UK population), made worst by some living in challenging family environments, experiencing discrimination and having fewer friends. There is a chance those with difficulties will live a more sedentary lifestyle, with over 80% participating in levels of physical activity below the Department of Health recommended level.
With help from the donation which has been used towards a lead and assistant dance assistant and musician, the Magpie Dance Summer School has given young people with learning difficulties the first opportunity since the March 2020 COVID Lockdown a chance to dance together in person and participate in much needed physical activity. Because those with learning and physical difficulties have been deemed the most ‘at risk’ during the pandemic, classes had been moved online, but with some participants wary and unable to participate at home, the summer school has given these individuals a great opportunity to once again dance and have fun with others.
Lewisham Youth Theatre July 2021
The Lewisham Youth Theatre, since opening in 1987 have provided the opportunity for you people from Lewisham aged between 3 and 24 to build skills, their ambition and resilience to achieve their potential through free of charge drama, performance and technical theatre activities.
Little Lives UK are pleased to announce that through their donation, an age 8-11 drama workshop called ‘Stories from the Playground’ could take place and offer the young people of Lewisham an opportunity to shine instead of being the background of society. The majority of the participants came from the South Lewisham area which has been described historically as lacking in artistic activities. Along with this, 76% of the last years participants where part of groups that suffered from mental health problems, poverty and family disruption.
‘Stories from the Playground’ are a set of dramatic scenarios which had been devised by the participants about returning to school during COVID and about mental health issues, the loss of friendships, bullying and the resilience to bullying and day to day challenges, and family breakdowns. Through the activities, the participants gained valuable skills such as positive decision making, social skills and the ability to form positive relationships within their peer group.
The Triangle Adventure Playground July 2021
Little Lives UK are delighted to have donated to The Triangle Adventure Playground and towards their Summer Holiday Playscheme. Opening in 1957, the work that The Triangle Playground do in the Lambeth borough throughout the year is inspiring and vital in helping to improve young people’s physical, mental and emotional health. This is achieved using sports, board games, construction projects, fantasy play, a multitude of objects for den building, group games, arts & crafts, Nature Club, cookery, and family activity sessions.
The donation made by Little Lives UK helped towards sports equipment, two group leaders and 156 Hours of play over 26 days during the summer holiday which helped to provide an outlet for young people in the area and has given the children a chance to do things that they often can’t do at home.
A range of sports, including volleyball, rugby, football, boules and cricket which is offered at the scheme, has given the children an opportunity to engage in the scheme’s child led ethos and explore things that they may never have the opportunity to do at home.
The children that are benefitting from the scheme are part of the eighth most deprived borough in London and part of the 36% of the areas children that live in low-income households.
Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre Jun 2021
As a charity, we know how much the pandemic has affected many tremendous organisations with the work they do helping young children. After getting in touch with Little Lives UK, we were in no doubt that it would be worthwhile for us to offer some support to Tiny Tim’s Children Centre, with a donation of £2,000, which will fund 40 therapy sessions for their children. Tiny Tim’s Children Centre offer free complementary therapy treatments to children with disabilities. They predominantly focus on providing treatments that are not available to the children from the NHS or affordable to low-income families. As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, they were unable to provide as many therapy sessions as they ideally would have, but still managed to provide 1,400 therapy sessions and 330 free therapeutic play sessions. However, the costs for providing each session has almost doubled during the last year, highlighting how important it has become that they receive support. They are more dependant than ever on the kindness of others and are relying on charities such as ourselves to support them. Little Lives UK would like to wish them all the success for the future and hope they can continue the fantastic work they do.
Barking & Dagenham Youth Dance Jun 2021
Little Lives UK were delighted to make a donation to Barking & Dagenham Youth Dance towards their Street Dance Fitness Project. We were inspired by the work they have done in their community, benefitting over 40,000 young people since they established in 2003. They are a grassroots charity who make positive changes to the Barking community by offering young people the opportunity to access high quality sports and fitness-based projects. The purpose of their organisation is to improve cohesion in their community, encouraging young people to take up activities that will keep them away from crime and drug involvement.
The sessions that we made the donation towards enable the young people to build their confidence and self-esteem. The sessions grant them the opportunity to have a positive routine to their weekend in being involved in a worthwhile programme that they can consistently attend. The ultimate aim is to prevent the young people from getting bored and becoming involved in criminal activity. 29% of the children in B&D are from low-income families, so the project will mainly cater for them. These children are most at risk from social exclusion and developing mental health problems, so to have this opportunity is so important for their well-being.
Sonshine Club Jun 2021
Sonshine Club supports disadvantaged children, aged 8-13, who have a range of difficulties including ASD, ADHD, Downs syndrome, cerebral palsy and other invisible disabilities. Many of the children come from large families, living in small apartments and are on a low income. They regularly support over 40 children through a range of innovative after-school programmes they organise, which are designed to encourage physical activity and healthy living, whilst additionally building self-esteem. The work Sonshine Club does, hugely helps the children in their community develop both physically and emotionally, enabling them to reach their full potential.
Sonshine club organise popular football sessions as part of their programme. Every week, they have two groups of roughly 15 children each who come and take part in the sessions, under the adjudication of two experienced coaches. Over time, the coaches have certainly noticed increased independence and resilience amongst the children, whilst establishing new friendships. Not only that, but the children too have made great progress in their playing skills, health and wellbeing. The donation from Little Lives UK is vital in guaranteeing that throughout the summer months the children can continue to meet every Friday and play safely, have fun and achieve new goals, while learning from the experienced coaches.
Strength and Learning Through Horses May 2021
Strength and Learning Through Horses offer a short six-week programme, with the ultimate goal being to help improve the mental health of many youngsters who have been affected by lockdown.
They provide equine therapy and equine assisted learning to vulnerable youngsters from all across London, who work in small groups with the horses, learning how to take care of them. The sessions hugely help the young people learn valuable life skills such as teamwork and leadership skills whilst benefitting from increased confidence, resilience and new friendships.
Our funding to Strength and Learning Through Horses is going towards the costs of managing the stable. The horses are central to their work, so it is vitally important to ensure that they are well looked after, making our donation all the more vital.
CASPA May 2021
Little Lives UK are proud to be supporting ‘Children on the Autistic Spectrum Parents Association’ with their project, ‘CASPA Inters’. CASPA established themselves as they felt there has traditionally been a lack of specialist provision for this group of disabled children. However, CASPA are well placed to meet the needs of these children & families due to their experience and understanding of what they require. Their vision is to enable children with Autism and social & communication disabilities to be inspired, become more independent, and to be properly integrated into society.
Through the sessions they provide, CASPA is allowing the children and young people in their community to access high quality opportunities, permitting them to have fun whilst also developing their skills and self-confidence, as any other child should. The project is focusing on children aged 9-13 and will be once a week for 2 hours during term time. The children take part in activities that facilitate their development in different ways, whether this be through board games or physical games, they learn important social and communication skills. Other activities that the children enjoy includes drama, music, table tennis, Lego, puzzles and trampolining, all of which are very beneficial for the children in making friends and learning new skills.
Music Marvels April 2021
We’re delighted to announce our donation to The London Reading Centre’s project ‘Music Marvels’ as part of our April campaign.
Their project, ‘Music Marvels’ is part of their after-school sessions where young people in their community are taught how to play a variety of instruments in a safe environment. The sessions offer them the opportunity to interact with positive role models they can relate to, providing them with a fresh perspective outside of their home life. They will have experienced staff running the sessions, to whom they can confide and develop a mentor relationship. The money donated by Little Lives UK is being used to purchase new musical equipment, whilst also allowing the young people to be continuously trained by an experienced and professional music instructor.
Taking part in recreational activities are an effective way for young people to overcome their mental health issues. Learning new skills, such as a musical instrument, and interacting with positive role models will certainly help these young people.
Donation of 497 electronic devices January - March 2021
It has been a challenging start to 2021 so far for Little Lives UK. Being in lockdown for just over three months has resulted in our stores being shut, and our projects being put on hold. Along with many other organisations, we have not been able to operate in the manner we would like. However, as a charity, we were determined to help many children through the struggles of lockdown, whilst also planning ahead towards the rest of the year.
As schools were forced to close, children and young people began to study at home. For many children though, this would not be possible, due to a lack of resources available to them. Little Lives UK was overwhelmed with the amount of donations we received, enabling us to pass on nearly 500 devices over this time period. Our donations to schools, councils and other charities, meant that hundreds of children and families benefitted. Through the electronic items we donated, they were able to access much needed information online, hugely helping with their education, guaranteeing that it was not negatively impacted because of lockdown.
Tree Tops resurfacing works December 2020
For our December campaign, Little Lives UK decided to fund resurfacing works in the outdoor area of Tree Tops Short Break Unit, which is our biggest donation to date. Tree Tops provides children with disabilities, aged 5-18, with a welcoming and friendly environment that they can treat as home. After visiting their exceptional facility and hearing about the inspiring work they do for disabled and disadvantaged children in the Dartford community, the charity was in no doubt that we wanted to help, through our funding for work to be completed.
The outdoor area of Tree Tops, that the children frequently use and enjoy, needed maintenance work to be done, in order to make it more suitable for the children, who would then be able to play much more freely. They have roughly 50 children that use their facility and want to provide a positive experience for all these children, to make sure they always have fun and have a better-quality life as they grow up. Little Lives UK shares their beliefs in wanting to help young children with learning difficulties, so the decision to fund their new outdoor area was an easy decision.
Feltham Community Boxing Club November 2020
In November last year, Little Lives UK agreed to help Feltham Community Boxing Club, by offering a donation that would see us pay a year’s rent for them. We are pleased to announce that for a second year, we are going to continue supporting the club, particularly given the challenging times many organisations are facing. We want to guarantee that Chris and his amazing team can continue to run weekly sessions for many local young people in the Feltham Community. As a result of Covid-19, the number of attendees had to be reduced, but we hope our funding will help Chris and his team to gain new equipment that will help with social distancing in order for the club to continue operating.
Little Lives UK initially funded Feltham Community Boxing Club to inspire more children in the community to stay out of trouble and learn more about the sport through Chris and his team.
Our technology donations to those in need October 2020
As part of our continuous campaign, Little Lives UK has donated over 200 technological items over the last 3 months, to schools, refugee centres and councils across London. We are thrilled that we have managed to donate this many items to those in need, all thanks to your generous donations. We feel very proud to have helped this many children through these donations, which we hope will hugely help with their education in these challenging times. Particularly with the uncertainty surrounding education at the moment, as a charity we felt it was only right that many underprivileged children receive support with their learning.
These items will definitely assist these children, as they now will be able to access a range of online resources that will boost their learning. In having access to these items, we hope the children can engage with their learning online on a more frequent basis. As a result, the teachers could potentially plan a broader range of more beneficial learning tasks online. This will certainly help the children, as teachers can design new innovative lessons and learning opportunities that they would previously have been unable to do. These items will enable children to engage in exciting new learning methods.
We hope that the donations to these schools and refugee centres will not solely help with their education, as we additionally want families to also enjoy using these items. From what we understand, one school to which we donated 40 items, will not use them in the classrooms but will, instead, allow them to go to the homes of families who are most in need. There were a number of families who were unable to access any remote learning, as their children did not have a device to use. Presenting these technological items to those in need is something we are so proud to have been able to achieve.
Working with Queens Park Primary School September 2020
We are pleased to announce that we have been able to give Queens Park Primary School 20 tablets and iPads. These devices will be set up at the school to aid the children in their studies. This will not only allow teachers to use interactive learning techniques. But also allow the students themselves to use the tablets for homework or further research while gaining essential technology skills.
In a world where the internet is so much a part of our lives, we recognise that giving these children the chance to use technology is imperative to further their learning.
Over the coming months, we will continue to work with Queens Park Primary school. Through this, we will be able to provide them with more resources thereby increasing the number of children and young people we are able to help in the community.
Uptown Youth Group August 2020
We have recently started working with Uptown Youth Group, a youth centre based in Colliers Wood that organises and runs activities for young people to take part in. Uptown encourages young members of the community that struggle with learning difficulties to attend these activities as they look to improve their social skills and gain more confidence. We are very proud to be able to assist Uptown Youth Group with a donation of £5,000, which will help go towards the running of the youth centre, along with new resources that will continue to provide the young members with fun and educational experiences at Uptown.
Through this donation we are able to aid a number of young people in London who need help and support, something we are always very proud to be able to do. Uptown Youth centre is one of many youth centres across London to be affected as a result of covid-19, highlighting how vital it is for extra funding to help support the work they do towards helping young members in the Merton community.
It is worth mentioning a huge thank you to Uptown Youth Group for the amazing work they do in the Merton community. The Little Lives UK charity feels very privileged to be able to support and hopes our donation will aid in improving the lives of many young members of this community.
Tablets and devices for children Jun - July 2020
During lockdown we have been working on helping many underprivileged children to ensure that their education did not suffer due to Coronavirus. Our aim was to provide as many children as we could with devices so that they could access necessary school resources.
We were able to achieve this through working with of Wandsworth and Richmond Council and we are currently in the process of working with other London councils to continue to distribute these devices. Of course, this will also mean that we are able to help many more children which as a charity we are so pleased to do. Without our hard-working volunteers who carried on during the lockdown to help achieve our mission this would not be possible.
A huge thank you goes out to them as none of our work would be possible without them. Finally, we wanted to take the opportunity to thank all the people who have donated and continue to donate devices to us.
Vital donation of PPE to our local care homes May 2020
Care homes across the country are doing the best they can to stop the spread of covid-19, save loved ones lives and keep people safe. Care home staff are working hard all hours to care for disabled people and residents in insolation.
During this pandemic, it’s vital that carers are equipped with PPE (personal protective equipment). However PPE is limited and many care homes are struggling. Without it, carers put themselves, their loved ones and those they care for at risk.
Thanks to you to all our hard working customers, donators, staff and fundraisers we were able to donate to three care homes in Morden, Putney and West Wickham free health and safety equipment, and PPE to ensure the safety of the careers and residents during this difficult time.
We supplied each Care home with masks, hand gels, gloves and aprons.
Spreading creativity, fun and gifts to primary school students May 2020
Thanks to you! We were able to spread a bit of love, sunshine and crafts to our neighbours, Broadwater Primary School in Tooting Broadway.
We delivered brand new arts and crafts kits, education games, board games and puzzles to the students at Broadwater Primary School Tooting broadway. These activities are sure to add some creativity and fun to their homeschooling and family life!
Thanks to you, we were able to spread some joy to the children in our local community.
Laptop donations to aid children with home schooling March - May 2020
The covid-19 pandemic has affected our educational systems worldwide, leading to closures of schools, colleges and universities. The closure of schools have put a strain on our educational system and has limited learning and fun resources.
Many children in our local community are struggling. Due to finical circumstances, Families cannot afford to access online learning platforms for their children.
Thanks to you, our generous donators. Who provide us with their second hand laptops. With a bit of magic, we transformed the laptops and gave them to referred children in the council of Wandsworth and Richmond.
Thanks to you, We were able to provide laptops as online learning platforms that students can reach schools and teachers remotely and limit the disruption of education during the covid-19.
This eco friendly way of recycling is beneficial for not only the planet, but for the children who need it the most in our local community.
Funding essential Holistic services to Richards House Hospice, Beckton January 2020
This January we visited Richards House Hospice. Who provide 24-hour specialist cares for babies, children and young adults who have life-shortening, life limiting or complex health conditions. As well as offering support and accommodation for the whole family. Alongside their key services of respite, palliative and end of life care, they also provide essential holistic services such as music, dance, movement and art therapy, multi-sensory play, family activities, trips, outings and bereavement support.
Currently, government grants are ONLY given for essential medical costs. However, Lucy was keen to point out how essential the other half of hospice care is. Music therapy sessions have proven to reduce anxiety, depression, psychological disorders, physical effects of stress, improves healing, self-expression and communication. Without funding for toys, games and books, Richards House Hospice had to rely on the generosity of the public. This is why hospice care is so valuable for the majority of Richards House patients who come from the most deprived areas in London.
With no funding for the government to cover these costs, Little Lives UK came to the rescue. We brought two boxes of toys and donated £850 to pay for music therapy and new playtime supplies.
With our hands and heart heavy and full, we were thrilled how valued the children, families and staff were for our donations of brand new educational toys, books, science kits! We are so excited to see the renovation in the playground. As well as being able to help support Richards House hospice to continue their incredible specialist services and make a real difference to children lives.
Children’s intensive care unit
St George’s Hospital, Tooting
December 2019
We’re thrilled to announce the birthday of our Tooting Broadway Charity shop. We are so humbled and grateful for all the hard work and support of our staff, fundraisers, donors, customers and volunteers for all these years!
For our birthday celebration, we instantly knew we wanted to help lift the spirits at the children’s intensive care unit and Neonatal department at St George’s Hospital, Tooting.
For every child being in hospital can extremely hard, especially during this festive season. Every child deserves to be able to have fun! But most importantly to feel special and loved during this difficult time. We decided our local children need to remember the joys of being a kid again and have a smile put back on their face!
So we decorated and hand packed gift bags full of brand new clothing, games, puzzles, toys, fluffy teddies, educational and classic books! To our local children’s intensive care unit. For the babies in the Neonatal department, we created more gift bags full of brand new luxury bedding, pillows, blankets, storage boxes, baby grows, sleepsuits, mittens, hats, socks, bibs, bed dresses, accessories and fairy tale books.
We’re so pleased that St Georges Hospital loved our gifts! We are so proud to say our gifts made a real difference to our local children and families.
Police and Community Boxing Club, Feltham November 2019
St Quintin’s Children’s Centre, Labroke Grove September - November 2019
A Transformation Within the Family Home, Wandsworth August 2019
Our August campaign set out to improve the living situation of a family that has been struggling under the pressures of debt. Sadly, the three children and their mother recently suffered a loss in their family, which has taken a huge toll on their home. When Wandsworth social services referred the Little Lives team to the house, it was in desperate need of refurnishing and the garden had become so overgrown that the children could no longer use it.
The transformation within the home has been described best by the family’s social worker, Sarah Gill: “Thank you to everyone at Little Lives for the huge changes that were carried out for the family. Not only did they turn the garden into a space that the children could play outdoors in, they provided the family with a homely living room where they can sit together and eat, and relax on a brand-new sofa.”
“The little girl will finally have her own bedroom so she can enjoy playing with her toys in the comfort of her own space – something that she has not had for a very long time. The transformations will change the family’s life, and without the support of Little Lives this would not have been possible. I am hugely grateful to the whole team for their dedication, hard work and commitment to ensuring that children have a space to call home!”
The Dream Bedroom Campaign Jun - July 2019
Our June campaign raised the money to transform Youma and Naima’s bedrooms into their own personalised spaces. With the help of volunteers from Blue Performing Arts and, after eight hours of intensive decorating, the children now have two beautiful bedrooms that they love.
Youma’s room was kept to a white colour-scheme and Naima’s has been coloured pink with hand-painted butterflies. Their bedrooms were fitted with new curtains, beds, rugs and furniture, as well as book shelves so that the girls can add to their book collections!
We are so pleased that we were able to support the family and assist in creating a more comfortable home life for Youma, Naima and their father, who told Little Lives: “I am so grateful and happy about all the work and effort that has been put into completely transforming my daughters bedrooms. They were absolutely delighted to see their new rooms and words cannot describe how grateful I am.”
Little Lives Collaborates with Blue Performing Arts May 2019
During the May half-term, Little Lives and Blue Performing Arts led a dance programme which offered local children the chance to experience a week-long performing arts camp.
The end-of-week show allowed the students to showcase 3 different styles of dance, spoken word pieces, and other performances created and choreographed by the children themselves. Ben Hutchings – Mitchell, who is the Founder and Managing Director of the academy, commented on the growth he saw in the students, and the impact this had on their parents who attended the performance: “They saw that their children were in a safe place, part of a team, proud of themselves and extremely talented performers.”
The dance workshop allowed us to provide an opportunity to give kids the chance to grow in confidence, self-belief and team spirit. Above all, the children enjoyed a week full of laughter, celebration and dance. We were so pleased to see how much the kids achieved in such a short period of time – the Little Lives team cannot wait for future collaborations with Blue Performing Arts!
Family Strength May 2019
Through our links with the Social Services team at Wandsworth Council, we were informed about J, aged 2, and his grandmother.
Due to domestic abuse and the use of drugs in the family home, a decision was made for J to reside permanently with his grandmother, who relocated to London to be able to provide the stability that he was missing.
After speaking with the case worker, we were determined to make a difference in the life of J and to support his grandmother as she took on the role as his primary carer. Whilst accommodation had been provided, there was no furniture or fittings within the residence.
We are delighted to have been able to supply living room and bedroom furniture, which we could not of done without the help of Mad Max Furniture.
After hearing about J, they donated a double bed and mattress, which is a prime example of the generosity of the London Community. We wish J and his grandmother every happiness in their new home.
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
St George’s Hospital
April 2019
Little Lives was contacted by a staff member of the Paediatrics Intensive Care Unit in St George’s Hospital, who asked if were able to help them by providing equipment for the unit. This request was made with the view to hold a weekly tea / coffee morning for the families of the children who were being treated there.
This was a more than deserving project, so we happily agreed to provide all of the items that St George’s Hospital had requested. A member of our team met with hospital staff to deliver the items, and we would like to thank those staff who took the time out of their busy schedules to give us further insight into the work that they do.
South Mitcham Community Centre
Easter holidays dance class
April 2019
Thanks to the support of the London community, Little Lives UK was able to provide funding to the South Mitcham Community Centre for a dance class that was held over the Easter school holidays.
The class, held for two days over the Easter holidays, was a resounding success! The sessions were provided by Fabienne of Bonnaire Arts and Education; attendance was extremely high with 30 children present at the first session and 40 in the second.
The children and their families commented on how the opportunity gave them the chance to grow in confidence – the Little Lives team was so pleased to hear their feedback, and to see how beneficial the classes were.
Synapptic TV Box for Tyrese March 2019
We were also able to assist an individual this month, through our ongoing work with the RNIB. When we heard about the young man and his situation, we were reminded of how passionate we are about the work we do.
The young man (15) had suffered a cardiac arrest and his sight had been affected severely, he is now adjusting to living his life with very limited vision. This had happened recently and both the young man and his family are adjusting to a devasting diagnosis that will impact across the whole family unit.
We were able to provide a TV and internet device that would allow him to do some of the things he used to do and allow him to interact with friends and family.
Building Bridges
Contact Centre Wandsworth
February - March 2019
On Friday 5th April we had the pleasure of presenting the Wandsworth Contact Centre with the toys and equipment that we were able to provide due to the support and generosity of the London community. The contact centre provides much needed support for children and their families to be able to develop and sustain positive relationships.
Lella, our Tooting shop manager was given a warm welcome by the staff at the centre who were genuinely delighted with all of the items. They had also provided refreshments which was much appreciated!
The staff had told us that it was more difficult to engage the older children who attended, the centre now has a Playstation 4, an air hockey table and a tennis table, just to mention a few of the items provided.
Nathan’s relaxation and tranquillity January 2019
Our first campaign of 2019 was for a nine year old boy, Nathan. Nathan has Nystagmus and also high degree myopia which severely affects his sight. His condition impacts enormously on both Nathan and his mum, both at home and at school.
Little Lives has previously worked with the Royal Society of Blind Children and we were very pleased to continue our support. Nathan suffers from global development delay and becomes very stressed, one of the only things that helps Nathan calm down is watching cartoons and he also enjoys singing along to music videos. Nathan was using his mum’s phone but really needed his own device. Little Lives were very happy to be able to provide a new IPad and additionally a storage unit for his bedroom.
Little Lives delivered the items to his mother at the beginning of February, unfortunately Nathan was at school, however his mum was overwhelmed and asked that we pass her thanks to all of our customers and donators!
Lambeth Academy - gift drive December 2018
In December 2018, we worked with the pupils of Lambeth Academy, who organised a gift drive for children in their local area who are less fortunate.
We were grateful to Wandsworth Council Social Services who took the collection of gifts to distribute to families within Wandsworth and believe that we made a real difference to our community at Christmas.
Giving kids access to fitness October, November 2018
In October and November of 2018, we supported a boxing club based in Tooting, London. TM Boxing has been running affordable group sessions for children for nearly ten years. The club runs three sessions a week and no child is ever turned away.
Over the past ten years, they have worked with many children who have special needs, developing social skills and building their self-esteem and confidence.
Some of the group’s members were at risk of exclusion from school or have had difficulties at home, but through the work at TM Boxing, a large number of these children have improved and rebuilt relationships both at school and home. The money we raised was spent on new equipment for the group, helping to improve their classes and deliver more high-quality training, development, and nurture to their students.
Balham Children’s Home September 18
In September of 2018, we raised money for a new children’s home opening in Balham. The money raised was spent on items the children needed to start their life in their new home.
Every donation helped and we were able to improve these children’s lives, offering them a happier and brighter future.
Royal Society for Blind Children July, August 2018
In July and August of 2018, we supported the Royal Society for Blind Children. The charity estimates there are 185 families with blind children in Wandsworth, and without support, too many of these children face a future of poverty and loneliness. Currently, nine out of 10 blind children won’t have a long-term job when they grow up, and most will never have someone to share their life with.
With the right support, however, everything can change. That starts with RSBC’s Family Workers. Vicky, RSBC’s local Family Worker for South London is there to offer a listening ear and a comforting hand from the moment parents are told their child is blind. And for as long as a family needs their advice, RSBC is on hand to help support their blind child’s learning and development at home, in school, and through community activities.
It costs £500 for Vicky to give a full year of support to one local blind child and his or her family, thanks to generous donations, Little Lives UK, Vicky and the RSBC helped young blind people build their skills, friendships, and self-belief to achieve their dreams.
St Christopher’s Diamond Fund June 2018
In June 2018, we supported the St Christopher’s Fellowship, a registered charity providing care, accommodation and support to disadvantaged and homeless young people through their children’s homes, supported housing schemes and fostering placements. Many of their projects and services are based in London, but they also support young people in Sandwell, Bedford and on the Isle of Man.
Through the Diamond Fund, their young people can receive small grants to enable them to take up opportunities to access education, training and employment (ETE). This could be things such as a suit for a job interview, a travel card for the first month of employment (until they get paid), enrolment fees for further education college, books, tools, hair-dressing equipment, protective clothing, small grants to help people set up in business, clothing for interviews, sewing machine, cooking utensils, music instruments, and so much more.
Providing a young person with even a very small grant can make a huge difference; many of the young people they work with simply need someone to believe in them. Donations from our incredible supporters helped them to achieve their goal.
Makaton Training Course May 2018
In May 2018, we raised money for Makaton training courses held at the Band Foundation. Makaton is a language programme designed to give individuals who cannot communicate efficiently by speaking a means of communication.
The Makaton language programme is used with individuals affected by autism, down syndrome, and language impairments, including stroke patients.
The money raised helped to fund training programmes at the Band Foundation, with donations contributing to bettering lives of children and individuals suffering from language impairments. Thanks to Little Lives UK and our generous donors, individuals were taught language and literacy skills that will help them to lead normal, functioning lives.
Ronald Mcdonald House: Home away from home 2018
In 2018, we worked with the Ronald McDonald House, on the site of St George’s Hospital. The house provides families of children who are long-term patients with a “home away from home”, which enables them to be close at hand for their children. Little Lives made donations of toys and books to the home throughout the year to support their incredible ongoing work.
To See Lucas Walk December 2017
Lucas’ parents started physical rehabilitation as soon as they could, and he first started to reach out after toys. At three years old, with help, Lucas was able to stand up but needed further rehabilitation to get him on his feet, costing £875. His parents couldn’t afford rehab as they were struggling financially, so Little Lives UK got involved and helped, with others, to bring Lucas to his feet.
Help Lea to sit on her own August 2017
Back in 2017, Lea’s parents announced their ambitions to raise £620 to pay for their daughter’s physical therapy. Lea, who was five at the time, struggled with a debilitating condition but remained a smiley and positive girl, excited about her life and adventures.
Thanks to your support, we helped to raise money for Lea, whose family used it to fund her treatment. Since then, Lea fulfilled her family’s dreams – to be able to sit on her own.