Cash for Kids - Thank You - The Difference You've Made in the East Midlands!
Cash for Kids is Gem's charity which aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged children across the East Midlands. Whether they are living in poverty, with an illness or disability or have additional needs, we want to help them live life to the full.
Thanks to YOU Cash for Kids has been making a difference to the lives of hundreds of local children this year. Here's some of the projects we've been able to help;
Meadows Foodbank
The Meadows Foodbank provides food parcels to those in crisis in an area of Nottingham that falls in the top 3% of areas suffering deprivation in England.
Since the start of 2021 they have provided 10341 meals to families in need - an 86% increase compared to the same period in 2020.
But they have also identified that there is a lack of safe spaces for children to play in the area. So as they re-open their community cafe and garden, they want to ensure that a visit to the Foodbank is a positive experience for all the family, providing fun for the children alongside positive support for the adults.
Cash for Kids have funded games & play equipment for their currently unused garden area, providing a safe area for children to play when they visit.
Steps Conductive Education Centre
Steps support children with conditions that cause motor impairments or motor development delays such as Cerebral Palsy and Down’s Syndrome. The children that Steps works with all have difficulty in hand and eye co-ordination, motor skills and reaching their milestones.
Conductive Education combines education, psychology and medical science. Children attend group sessions with their parent and through a qualified practitioner learn every day skills which can be transferred to the home environment. The equipment used at Steps is all chosen very carefully to progress children's development and ensure that they learn in a safe and stimulating way, encouraging all round development.
Cash for Kids has provided a range of sensory equipment, toys, books & puzzles to help Steps deliver their sessions. During the pandemic sessions have been delivered remotely via Zoom and some of the equipment that Cash for Kids has funded has been sent direct to children's homes to be used as part of the sessions.
Kilisick Junior School
Killisick Junior School in Arnold is based in a deprived area which sees 44% of pupils entitled to pupil premium, 24% of pupils with special educational needs and 32% of pupils entitled to free school meals.
Cash for Kids has provided funding towards the purchase of their very own school radio station. Launching in September (and called Killisick Rockin' Radio!) it will be run by the children for the children.
School radio stations have been shown to develop confidence, improve speaking and listening skills, develop teamwork skills, inclusion, empowerment and support the National Curriculum across all subjects. All of these skills will improve the pupils future prospects enabling them to compete on a level playing field with their peers.
The Wolfpack Project
The Wolfpack Project supports young people who are lonely, isolated, or struggling with their mental health. As a result of Covid, they have been particularly keen to reach out to those at high-risk from low-income families. They often lack the financial means in which to have their own technology, and as such be able to stay socially active or easily access mental health resources online.
Cash for Kids funding has provided tablet computers to 50 young people from low-income families residing in areas of high deprivation/high unemployment. Alongside providing the technology the young people are given access to mental health resources and a route to receive additional, peer-led support and attend one-to-one or group drop-in sessions.
Oasis Preschool & Retreat
Oasis Preschool & Retreat is based in Melton Mowbray. The Retreat is a specialist unit for children with significant special educational needs and disabilities.
Cash for Kids has funded some specialist outdoor play equipment including a ball run, activity frame, painting easel and car ramp. All these items are to support critical thinking , exploration, fun and laughter and help develop imagination skills. Outside play is especially important to support children's well being, as it reduces anxiety and enhances freedom and that feel good factor of being in the fresh air.
Menphys
Menphys provides support and services for Leicestershire’s children and young people with disabilities, complex health needs and special education needs. The Covid pandemic has hit these groups particularly hard with many feeling very isolated. Menphys applied to the Cash for Kids Day fund to help them with providing equipment for the new school year, which will ease the pressure on parents enabling them to concentrate their time on the welfare of their family.
Going back to school is an expensive time, and our funding will enable Menphys to purchase rucksacks, water bottles, pencils, drawstring PE bags and notebooks.
Cash for Kids in the Midlands has also been helping children in the West Midlands and Staffordshire & Cheshire.
BUT we can only continue to help more children with your help - so click here to find out more about Cash for Kids and the ways you can help.