West Yorkshire Summer Grant Round 2019

Cash for Kids and their Local Executive Board granted over £9,000, supporting over 900 local children in their Summer Grant Round.

Bradford PHAB Club - £1,000 – 30 Children

Bradford PHAB Club aim to encourage the self-confidence and independence of young people of all abilities through a range of diverse activities and projects. Their members include children with severe disabilities and life limiting illnesses. By providing the facility, activities and transport, PHAB are able to support and often reduce the isolation of the children and enable them to access and engage in structured activities every week. PHAB consult with the young people about what activities they want to do and then work with them to bring their ideas to life. Cash for Kids have provided funding for craft activity items that the children wanted, such as glass painting and candle decorating items so that the children can explore their creativity.

Boy A* Aged 8 - £2,000

Boy A was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2. He is non-verbal and goes to a specialist school. His mum has described him as having a bubbly personality and infectious smile and wants to take part in everything around him. His mum applied to Cash for Kids for a grant for a Creative Care Travel Pod. This bed would allow Boy A and his family to go on holiday or spend days away from home, without him feeling distressed or out of his comfort zone.

Boy B* Aged 12 - £200

Boy B has global development delay, bilateral talipies, hydrocephalus and a sphinx cyst in his spinal column. Boy B can’t receive messages from his bladder to his brain at night so he constantly wets the bed, causing his mum to have to buy 4-5 mattresses a year. His mum applied for a grant from Cash for Kids for a Hospital Grade Waterproof Mattress as it is fully waterproof and easy to clean making it more comfortable for Boy B.

Girl A* Aged 11 - £2,600

Girl A has cerebral palsy which affects both her legs and right arm, and she is unable to stand or walk independently. Girl A’s mum applied to Cash for Kids for a grant for a Baffin Chair which will allow Girl A to do the physiotherapy she needs to do at home. The chair will also allow Girl A to stand at home, do the things she loves and give her more independence. This Baffin Chair can also be altered to fit Girl A as she grows to support her into her adult life.

Penny Field School NWSILC - £1,587 – 300 Children

Penny Field School caters for children and young people (aged 3-18) with complex and multiple learning needs. Many of their pupils have short life expectancy so they try to make each school day as fun and exciting as possible while the pupils work on their educational and physical targets. Cash for Kids have agreed funding for a Gravity Wonder Wall and Two Big Mac Switches. The Gravity Wall is designed so pupils can get all the tactile sensory stimulation that they need whilst having fun. It is also great for visual sensory input and development of fine motor skills. The Big Mac Switch has been developed to help children learn the concept of cause and effect independently. It provides audio input and helps to develop hand-eye-coordination and fine motor skills in children with a range of conditions.

The Turning Point Counselling Service - £1,082 – 100 Children

The Turning Point Counselling Service offer emotional support through professional counselling to young people aged 14-18 experiencing mental health issues or emotional difficulties. They applied for a grant from Cash for Kids for craft activity items, such as paints, Teen Talk in a Jar, Play-Doh and CBT Toolboxes. These items will allow therapy for the young people, especially those who find it difficult to express their emotions, to describe their feelings through their creative work.

Martin House Children’s Hospice - £1,344 – 500 Children

Martin House Children’s Hospice are committed to delivering and enabling the highest quality care that meets the needs of all the children and young people and their families in their care. They offer a very holistic approach to care by offering respite, symptom control, nursing, community care, emergency, terminal care and bereavement support. The support that they offer is tailored for each child throughout their life and meets the needs of their families. Cash for Kids have agreed funding for a Chester Chest Training Model for Martin House Children’s Hospice. This will be used by the care team at the hospice to learn and maintain IV skills to ensure the optimum level of care for the children. It will also mean that staff are able to care for children with central lines and administer the child’s medicine and nutrition into their veins, allowing them to offer the parents a true break.