October Grant Round 2012

The October Grant Round had an unprecedented amount of response, for a variety of different causes and children. We are now pleased to announce the following successful grant allocations:

Interplay Theatre - £2,076

Interplay theatre requested funding for an ‘Inflatable Dome’ which will allow them to perform an interactive sensory show called ‘Paint’. This will be beneficial for children with sensory impairments and profound multiple learning difficulties in special schools around West Yorkshire by playing with their senses - heightening sight, smell, sound and smell and enabling them to remove barriers providing a deep experience for the children that will stay with them for a long time. Cash for Kids were impressed as this small theatre group believe they can help over 1900 local children and have already managed to raise £300

Hunslet Club - £3,141

The Hunslet Club is a community resource supporting children and young people to raise their aspirations and to achieve their full potential in life. Their charity won the public vote over Christmas 2009 for building refurbishments from Connaught which has proven invaluable to them in allowing their building space to be fully utilized by children and young people. They applied for specialist gymnastic equipment so they can continue to provide gymnastic sessions for children in an area of Leeds which has a high unemployment level and few afford able activities on offer. Cash for Kids believe this equipment would allow them to cater for the growing number of children wanting to get involved and help to improve health, communication skills and co-ordination skills.

Asha Neighbourhood Project Play Scheme - £336

The Asha Playscheme aim to give children who live in an area of deprivation opportunities to access low cost play activities during school holidays. They want to offer local children an opportunity to go on a trip to a pantomime to give children something to look forward to and the opportunity to visit a theatre which is something the children they work with may never have the opportunity to do. Cash for Kids have agreed to fund a trip to The Carriageworks Theatre for 28 children to watch Jack and the Beanstalk.

Beechtree Steiner Initiative - £600

The aim of this project is to ensure early years provision is accessible to disabled children. They believe that portable ramps and play resource will allow disabled children to access school and play like the other children, allowing them to improve their social/communication skills. Cash for Kids loved the idea that the ramps can be reused in the years to come and will allow disabled children to have equal opportunities that they may otherwise be without.

Amara and mum - £383.15

Amara and mum daughter have recently had a fire in their home, resulting in having to re-locate and live with family until the home is put back to a live-able condition. The result of the fire has left the mother without several necessary items for her 10 month old child. She is also pregnant and has another baby due in November. Cash for Kids are granting out 2 cot mattresses, bedding, a moses basket, baby sterilizer, baby bottle wardrobe and microwave to ensure these children get the best start in life.

Luttrell Crescent Children’s home - £907.87

Luttrell Crescent is a children’s home in Leeds that provide for 5 children. These children are unable to live at home or in substitute family care for various reasons which are confidential. They believe scooters and bikes will encourage the children to be more active and encourage them to eat and sleep better in the evening. Cash for Kids were delighted to support this application and have agreed to supply this equipment to the Children’s home.

Daniella - £500

Daniella is a little girl with Cerebral Palsy. Her mum believes that Hydrotherapy swim sessions will relax her muscles and help with bad circulation in her lower limbs. Cash for Kids have funded 20 Hydro pool sessions in the hope that this will give Daniella the opportunity to learn more about how she can manage her Cerebral Palsy.

3 Children - £293.99

3 children live with their mother who is a recovering addict. Two of these share a bunk bed and one of the mattresses is extremely soiled. The ladder on this bed is broken meaning they have to climb onto the dressing table to access the bed. The youngest child (3 years old) is now imitating this behaviour and the family are afraid for her safety. The hoover has broken and is irreplaceable causing a hygiene problem and means the mother is too embarrassed to have guests in their house. Cash for Kids have granted these children 2 new beds and mattresses and also a hoover in order to ensure these children remain healthy and happy.

Solomon - £9,000

Solomon is a 10 year old boy with severe total body cerebral palsy. He was born extremely premature and developed bleeds within the brain resulting in Hydrocephalus. Cash for kids were very impressed as this family have already raised £1000 towards this. We have decided to grant this little boy a specialised wheelchair which will improve his mobility and quality of life.

Leeds Mencap - £2,450

Leeds Mencap run a junior youth club every Thursday throughout term time for 12-17 year olds throughout Leeds with a learning difficulty. This group take part in many activities such as healthy eating classes, card making, bike riding etc. For many of these young people this is their only social activity of the week and chance to spend time with other people in similar situations. These activities help children develop both educationally and socially however this year they are struggling to pay for many of these activities. Cash for Kids have decided to support Leeds Mencap with the costs of a residential for this Junior Club which we hope will allow these children to continue learning new skills which will stay with them for their whole lifetime.

Friends of Horsforth Children’s Centre - £120

This Children’s Centre applied for a grant in order to help them provide music sessions for their Early Learning Group. Many of these children have language and communication difficulties and participating in musical activities is known to help with speech and language development. Cash for Kids have arranged for these children to have 6 30 minute sessions with ‘Music Bugs’ and hope that this will put smiles on many children’s faces.

Leeds Visually Impaired Children’s Cooking Group - £819.51

Leeds Visually Impaired Children’s Cooking Group aim to provide the chance for blind and partially sighted children an opportunity to learn safe, kitchen and cooking skills away from the family, which helps them to increase their confidence and independence. They also want to include a tutorial for shopping, how to check food is clean and budgeting skills. These skills will enable them to move onto looking after themselves and learn daily living skills. We have agreed to purchase the kitchen equipment for this group which will allow them to learn skills they will take with them for the rest of their lives.

Conservation Volunteers at Skelton Grange - £4990

These lovely volunteers would like to provide 10 fully funded, woodland based away days at their centre in South Leeds for the Willow Young Carer’s Project. This project is run by Barnardos to support some of the approximately 1200 children under 16 who have significant caring responsibilities for sick or disabled relatives and are deprived of many things that many children take advantage of. Cash for Kids are granting out £4990 in order to support these away days and help ensure that these children get the break they deserve.

Kids for Kids - £2,072

Kids for Kids aim to provide children in the surrounding areas of Morley with affordable dance lessons for all families. The aim of the group is to provide dance skills, build team working skills, promote exercise and healthy lifestyles and promote an environment where everybody feels safe. Cash for Kids are providing them with funding for polo tops and hoodies in the hope this will help provide the young people with a sense of pride and identity and also to celebrate success of their dance group in its 30th anniversary.

Martin House Children’s Hospice - £10,602.51

Martin House Children’s Hospice look after children all over Yorkshire. They have applied for a grant in order to help them provide a full refurbishment of their multi-sensory room which is a therapeutic and relaxing place for children providing many benefits including awareness, co-ordination and development. There is strong evidence that multi-sensory play provides many benefits and the equipment enables the children to heighten senses they have and promote interaction. Cash for Kids are delighted to announce that we will be supporting Martin House Children’s Hospice in this refurbishment and know this will make a long term difference, improving the lives of children every day (and over 300 per year!) 96.3 Radio Aire & Magic 828’s Cash for Kids is extremely passionate about being transparent with all the grants that we fund. The team will follow up all of the above grants and create a video so that you can see where the money has been spent and the difference it has made in the local community.

The next grant round will be in May 2013.