Autumn Grant Round 2015

Aireborough Supported Activities Scheme - £616.00

Aireborough Supported Activities Scheme is a local charity who provides short breaks for children with severe disabilities, and their siblings. They provide high-level support for these children and their parents. The breaks provide respite for the parents and siblings but are also fun and skilful for the children with the disability. They applied for funding to taking a group of siblings on a day out to the cinema, bowling and for lunch. These siblings are often “forgotten” as their parents have a lot of focus on the child who needs round-the-clock care. It gives them a chance to meet other children in similar situations, make friends and have things in common.

Cash for Kids agreed to fund a day out for 18 siblings, they went bowling, had a Pizza Hut lunch, went to the cinema and some of the siblings ended their day with a visit to Radio Aire. Two of the children who attended the day provided this feedback –

“**We wanted to thank you for taking us to bowling, pizza hut, and the cinema. We had an amazing time. Everybody was really kind and helpful and we have made lots of friends who have a brother like us. Radio Aire was fantastic. We have never been to a place like that before so it is new to us. Cant wait for next time. Thank you for arranging everything and being so helpful to children like our brother with special needs. thank you”

ESCAYP Counselling Services - £730.38

ESCAYP (Emotional Support for Children and Young People) are a charity providing emotional and mental health support to children whom are experiencing difficult emotions due to issues such as; sexual, emotional and physical abuse, low self-esteem, bullying, bereavement, self-harm and sexual exploitation. Their aim is to provided 1-2-1 therapeutic play and counselling to every child who needs their help. They work very hard to ensure every child in distress can access their services and seek the help they reach out for. Their services ensure that the necessary interventions take place before the young people reach crisis point.

£730.38 worth of therapeutic play equipment has been funded for ESCAYP; which includes a Play Therapy Starter Kit, Emotions puppets and ‘Feel Good’ cards.

Bridge Street Church Children’s Ministry - £4,950.00

Bridge Street Church is situated in one of Leeds’ most deprived areas. One of their objectives is to love the community through its children, and one most commonly expressed needs is something for children to do. The majority of the children who attend their daily play scheme are not members of the church and their services are taken up with people in community. They applied to Cash for Kids for funding towards equipment for a new play area. They have successfully secured a new larger site, and this equipment will be used when they move there in Spring 2016.

Cash for Kids have funded numerous items of play equipment for this area; including a large sandbox, a playhouse and picnic tables. These items will benefit over 50,000 children over years to come.