BBC Children in Need feed

Family Fun in Northern Ireland

2013-05-14T14:21:51+01:00

This Bank Holiday Monday (27 May) is a date for the diary if you want to have amazing family fun and raise money for BBC Children in Need! The Family Fun Day is in support of BBC Children in Need and the event will run from 10am to 6pm at Stormont Estate with the guarantee to give both children and parents a very enjoyable day out. There are a wide range of activities including live entertainment with a Lady Gaga tribute act, amusements, motorcycle displays and sports day activities. There will be numerous trampolines, bouncy castles and even an opportunity to enter your non-pedigree dog in our Scruffts heat. Maybe your dog could follow in the footsteps of crossbreed Becky from Bangor. Becky qualified at last year's Fun Day and went on to make history as the first ever Scruffts winner at Crufts.

The Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson is lending his support and is more than happy to help launch the Fun Day for the second year running.

Speaking about this year’s event this said: “I would encourage families to come along and check out what The Family Fun Day has to offer. Not only is there going to be a huge amount of fun and various activities to enjoy but it is also set in impressive surroundings in Stormont Estate.

“The Family Fun Day really does cater for all ages, there are bouncy castles, egg and spoon races, puppet shows and live entertainment from Hugo Duncan who will be broadcasting his show from the estate. The list of activities is endless and apart from the funfair type attractions, the vast majority of the event's attractions can be enjoyed free of charge so it really does provide a value for money day out.

“Last year's family fun day raised £22,000 and we will be doing all we can to maintain this level of support to a great cause in BBC Children in Need. I hope with your help we can make this year’s event even bigger and better and hope you all can come along and enjoy everything the Fun Day has to offer.”

Ronnie McAleese, the Event Director, who makes these fun days happen every year, had this to say: “I am delighted with the way in which this event has grown since the first one was held in 2008. It really is aimed at the whole family and with all the new attractions this year it should be bigger and better than ever.”

You can view the full programme of events taking place at the Family Fun Day by visiting the nidirect website.

(Picture taken by William Cherry (Press Eye))

Deaf Awareness Week

2013-05-08T10:53:01+01:00

Three-year old Jacob is learning the names of his teachers. When he’s shown their pictures he says who they are. But Jacob is profoundly deaf and uses hearing aids, so he’s had to work a lot harder than other children to learn how to talk.

Jacob, who attends The Elizabeth Foundation, which helps deaf children learn to listen and talk So has Tye, also three, who was fitted with cochlear implants when he was 19 months old. His mum remembers the awesome moment when his implants were switched on and he turned his head towards a noise for the first time. Background noise sometimes makes it difficult for children like Jacob and Tye to mimic the words they hear and this can affect the development of their speech. They are two of the 45,000 deaf children in the UK today, according to figures from the National Deaf Children’s Society.

Since the NHS established the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme in 2002, early diagnosis has been possible, so while some families opt to communicate as a family by signing, others have the option of accessing hearing aids or cochlear implants for their child if suitable. Being able to access communication skills during the crucial language acquisition phase of brain development in the first two years of a child’s life can greatly improve speech and vocabulary development. With the right support, they can listen and talk as well as their hearing peers.

Jacob at The Elizabeth Foundation One place that offers that support is The Elizabeth Foundation in Hampshire, a national charity set up by parents Shirley and David Metherell in their home in 1981 to help their deaf daughter Elizabeth learn to speak. 30 years on, it has evolved into a purpose-built facility with a sister unit in Bradford. It runs nursery and pre-school sessions for children aged 0 to five as well as Home Learning classes for families who can’t access the facility.

BBC Children in Need funds speech and language therapist Frances Clark who works there. She carries out one-to-one sessions to help 70 children a year learn to speak, to make friends and participate in a classroom environment. In the sessions, children like Jacob are asked to tap out the number of syllables in each word they say using a toy drum and drumstick, to help them understand word structure. They are asked to describe objects and scenes shown to them on cards and tablets. In Jacob’s case, Frances was particularly keen to ensure that he pronounced the end of each word, such as the ‘ed’ of ‘scratched’.

A classroom at The Elizabeth Foundation In the classrooms, built with optimum acoustics, the task is to cut out pictures of farm animals and glue them into the correct farmyard pen. Teacher Rachel communicates with the children better because she wears a radio device that eliminates background noise for those children wearing a similar radio aid – the same sort of device they will use when they start school. For some, this makes the difference between them accessing mainstream education rather than attending a school for children with special needs.

Cameras in each classroom record the sessions so that at the end of their time at the Foundation, parents can see what and how they’ve been taught and also have a keepsake of their child’s progress on DVD. Outside the classroom there is plenty of space to play and ride around on bikes.

As a result of this head start, Director of Children’s Services Julie Hughes said 12 out of the 13 children who left the Elizabeth Foundation in 2012 to start school were found to have abilities ahead of the average for all children their age range.

Jacob’s mum Beth says: “The work that Frances has done with Jacob this year has been brilliant. It’s so important that Jacob and all deaf children do not feel inadequate or unable to achieve because of their hearing loss and I believe that The Elizabeth Foundation helps deaf children to achieve their potential but also helps them and their families feel supported in a way that makes them feel 'normal' and that their hearing loss should not hold them back.

“If we hadn’t had the input from The Elizabeth Foundation I think the prospect of 'big' school would be a lot more scary!”

Your donations have helped BBC Children in Need to fund nearly 60 projects to a value of more than £2,300,000 that support children with sensory impairments like deafness.

Meet children you help in other areas across the UK

Challenge COMPLETED!

2013-05-03T17:16:52+01:00

Five marathons. Five days. DONE!

And what a final day! The route took me from BBC Media Centre in Wood Lane to Kent where I live. At Victoria, where I used to work, all my old colleagues came out to cheer me on, and towards the end, my dad and brother cycled alongside me. It was exactly what I needed to keep me going!

When my home was in sight I somehow summoned up the strength to sprint the final stretch!

My legs actually feel a lot better than they did yesterday. Maybe they know that they haven't got any more marathons to do! Now it's time for a cold bath and lots of stretching. I'm so pleased it's all over and totally amazed with myself that I managed to do it!

One more marathon to go!

2013-05-02T16:31:40+01:00

So I'm four days into my challenge. I've run four marathons. One more to go tomorrow and it's been HARD WORK!!

When I set off on my first marathon I was pretty excited and really looking forward to the big challenge. I knew it was going to be tough but looking back, I actually had no idea how tough it was really going to be.

I was nervous as well because my start point, on Pudsey Drive near Birmingham, is a long way from home. If I injured myself or got lost then I would be all by myself, but that was all part of the challenge.

The hardest run so far has been the second day. By the end of the first day my left calf was badly bruised and my right ankle was really sore, and I really felt them both on the second marathon. It was a straight road and a pretty boring route and there wasn't much to take my mind off the pain.

The best bit has been the end of the fourth day. The route finished at BBC Media Centre in White City, and seeing the reception from all my colleagues (and Pudsey) was brilliant!

It's really important to distract yourself while running. If I just thought about the running all day then I'm sure my brain would talk my body out of it. So I've been playing a lot of music, checking in on Facebook and Twitter and thinking about why I'm doing it - to raise lots of money for BBC Children in Need!

I'm actually really looking forward to the last marathon. It's a really familiar route, from where I work to where I live. Loads of people I know are going to be out cheering me on so that will keep my morale up!

Keep track of me and you can donate too on my website www.5in5.co.uk!

My 5 Marathon Challenge

2013-04-26T18:12:46+01:00

So back in November, I was lucky enough to be part of an incredible team at BBC Children in Need that helped raise a record breaking amount of money. On Appeal Night I got to see and meet children who are helped first hand, and this motivated me to do something a little bit extra. There are lots of great ways to raise money: bike rides, treks, cake sales, but I wanted to do something bigger, that would challenge me to the maximum.

BBC Children in Need Graphic Designer Mark Attree runs 5 marathons in 5 days

After lots of research, I opted for a running challenge, and came up with the idea of taking on five marathons, yes 130 miles, over five consecutive days! Sounds so much more crazy now than it did back then. I found the perfect starting point- Pudsey Drive- which is exactly 130 miles from my home in Kent, where I will finish.

Since November, I've been planning the whole challenge. From training, to booking hotels, and from tracking the route, to making sure I'm on the right diet. The training side has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I'm far from a regular runner, so had to build up the miles gradually. I booked loads of half days off work, to run the 20 miles home.

As it's been one of the coldest starts to the year, I approached my local gym who offered me free membership, which meant I could do lots of training indoors. I also asked several sports brands if they'd be willing to help by supplying some running gear, and luckily Puma and New Balance both chipped in! You never know whether you'll get that kind of help but I thought there was no harm in asking and was delighted to get such support from my local community and big brands.

Then comes the diet- cutting out the junk, sigh, and replacing it with high-energy meals; pasta, porridge and rice being my main options. With success on the sportswear sponsorship, I then looked for the same with energy and fuel supplements. Lucozade have a great scheme called the 'Yes Foundation', where they sponsor some great fundraising ideas. I was successful with my application, and Lucozade kindly sent a couple of crates of drinks and £500 towards my total for BBC Children in Need.

Alongside the training, I had to organise the route and stops. The key to making it work is ensuring the route is safe and runnable, and finding places to recover overnight. Fortunately, a couple of hotels were nice enough to put me up for free (Best Western, Premier, Moor Hall and Holiday Inn Luton South).

All this may sound like lots of work, but it's all just a few emails and phone calls, and so rewarding when people do want to help. Social media like Twitter and Facebook make it so easy to get donations and spread the word. Even better if you can get the odd celeb to tweet about it (thanks Chesney Hawkes!)

The BBC Children in Need team have been incredibly supportive, and in fact wanted me to write this blog post in the hope that it will inspire other fundraisers out there. Digital Marketing Executive Wendy Owen says: "What Mark is doing is phenomenal, his determination and passion to get out there and do this challenge, not only to raise money for us but for his own personal achievement, is admirable. Contacting companies to ask them to help out is a great way to get support for your fundraising and we think Mark is such an inspiration to other fundraisers out there. We will certainly be supporting him on our website and on social media every step of the way!"

So I'm now just hours away from the start and, while feeling slightly nervous about it all, I'm also pretty excited. It's going to be unbelievably hard, but the money that’s raised will help so much. I'd encourage everyone to do something similar, maybe not five marathons (!), but whatever is right for you. You'll find there are so many people out there willing to help, and the sense of achievement you get from it in the end will make it all worth it!

To keep track of it, visit www.5in5.co.uk

Thanks for reading, wish me luck and get fundraising!

St George’s School celebrates St George's Day!

2013-04-23T10:19:10+01:00

It’s St George’s Day, patron saint of England, and BBC Children in Need is proud to be funding 1265 projects across England to a value of more than £35 million. From Cumbria to Cornwall, children up and down the country are benefitting from donations made by you.

Some of those children are pupils from St George’s School on the Isle of Wight. All the students have learning difficulties and physical disabilities, so it’s really important to them that they get to have the same experiences as other children.

They are able to have tons of fun on the water thanks to the ‘Island Youth Water Activities Centre’ which is funded by Children in Need.

It’s all go on the water with powerboat driving, sailing and kayaking, giving everyone the chance to do something new and exciting. Without even realising it, these young people are improving their co-ordination whilst gaining heaps of confidence.

It’s an opportunity for Hannah (pictured above) who has some mobility problems and poor field of vision, to enjoy water sports because most of it can be done sitting down.

Centre manager Mike Acton says: “The activities have helped her to improve her balance and co-ordination. Hannah has a sense of freedom on the water and enjoys all of the sensations it brings. No matter what the weather or activity, Hannah is always smiling and always chatting.”

Meet children you help in other areas across the UK

Who You Help: Autism Awareness Month

2013-04-05T15:33:05+01:00

April is Autism Awareness Month, so we're focusing on two projects in Manchester that work with autistic children and young people - and both projects receive grants from BBC Children in Need.

Since 2007, your donations have gone to support the Greater Manchester Riding for the Disabled Association (GMRDA), which provides riding facilities for children and young people with disabilities to help build self-esteem, confidence and improve posture.

Bobby riding a horse at GMRDA

Two children who have benefited from the BBC Children in Need funding are 9-year-old twins Bobby and Alec, who both have autism. Their improvement has been remarkable and in the three years they've been attending the GMRDA, the twins' confidence co-ordination and balance has noticeably approved.

Bobby's brother Alec also visits GMRDA

Because riding a horse is unstable, it improves riders' core muscles and balance - and their Mum Debby says that to see the boys riding is brilliant.

It's also helped Alec to overcome the serious injuries he sustained when he crawled through a bedroom window when he was just two years old, falling twenty feet to the ground. He was in a coma for six weeks, and when he woke up he couldn't move.

Debby added: "It was like the slate was wiped clean. He had to re-learn everything as well as deal with autism. Both the volunteers and horses at GMRDA are unbelievably patient and caring. We are so lucky to have an affordable therapy like this on our doorstep that gives both our sons loads of fun as well as helping them therapeutically. They do a fantastic job."

Another project that's just received a grant from BBC Children in Need is Autistic Society Greater Manchester. They've been awarded a three year grant of £110,013 to run youth clubs during the school holidays to provide inclusive activities for children and young people with autism.

We're only able to support amazing projects like these thanks to the generosity of the British public. On their behalf - thank you.

Who You Help: other projects in the North of England

Meet children you help in other areas across the UK

Who You Help: International Children's Book Day

2013-04-02T12:31:38+01:00

Door Step Library in London brings the joy of books and reading to local children.

On this day each year, that great storyteller Hans Christian Anderson's birthday is celebrated with an International Children's Book Day. To mark the occasion, we wanted to tell you about just one of the BBC Children in Need grants that has children's books and reading at the centre of it.

This is a guest post written by mum Angela Campana.

“Every Tuesday afternoon at about five o'clock the doorbell rings and my children rush outside to greet the friendly ladies full of stories. Each has a big rucksack filled with as many books as they can carry and a couple of stools for the children to sit on.

It all started for us one day when a lady knocked on my door and explained that she was from an organisation that read books to children in the neighbourhood. I was pleasantly surprised as I had never heard of a mobile library. Since then my children always welcome them with smiles on their faces as each week they can't wait to swap their books for new ones. She explained that she wanted to reach as many children as possible and that she wanted them to have easy access to a variety of books. That was the beginning of something wonderful for us.

I have three boys; Ethan, seven, Rafael who’s five and Alejandro, two. We are originally from Colombia and Ecuador and we try to speak Spanish to our children at home so they grow up bilingual. Having the volunteers reading to my children in English has really helped them to improve their reading and communication skills at school. Especially Rafael because thanks to the volunteers' support and attention, his speech has improved significantly.

The stories and picture books have encouraged my children's imagination immensely. This is particularly true for Ethan who has produced some amazing art work since he was three and gets inspired by every book he reads.

Ethan's picture of Pudsey Bear

Books open the door to new worlds which children can only reach by reading and this project makes all this possible.

The volunteers give their time and effort, come rain or shine, even in freezing weather conditions. The work that they do is just amazing. I am so grateful for their enthusiasm, their encouragement, their support and especially for their time. I really admire what they do. The Door Step Library has had a very positive impact on my family.

It is truly a remarkable project that could potentially change children's lives and help them achieve a better, brighter future.”

How does BBC Children in Need help?

BBC Children in Need’s grant of £44,400 helped set up the Doorstep Library Network in Fulham in 2011 and contributes towards the salary of Project Manager Katie Bareham until 2014. There are now four networks operating in Hammersmith and Fulham with each volunteer working one afternoon a week after school, usually in pairs. You can find out more information about volunteering at the project here.

Who You Help: St Andrew's Club, Westminster

2013-03-28T11:44:01+00:00

BBC Children in Need is proud to fund the juniors at the St Andrew’s Club in Westminster. It claims to be ‘the oldest youth club in the world’ and we’re inclined to believe them, having been founded on St Andrew’s Day in 1866, originally as a home and club for apprentice boys needing somewhere to live.

Although the club sits in the shadow of the grandiose Westminster Abbey, the ward is one of the most deprived in London. The St Andrew’s Club provides a warm, safe environment for children to play and is clearly appealing to everyone, with over 850 members on their books. A stone’s throw from Parliament, the thriving club is bursting with children taking part in endless activities – from archery to music production, cookery to chess, capoeira to fashion, karate to health and beauty courses and all of this in addition to the seven football teams on offer!

John Stanghon and some of the children modelling their Easter Bonnets

The club is the local community’s central hub which has seen generations of families attending, firstly as children, then becoming volunteers and finally ending up as staff. Everyone who works there knows how crucial it is to keep kids off the streets, away from gangs and steering clear of anti-social behaviour. Their passion for ‘growing their own’ and raising a positive, aspirational generation is what keeps the club going.

One such member of staff is John Stanghon, manager of the junior club, who took over from his mum after her retirement. He’s adored by all and respected like an older brother, as are the rest of his family. His dad is the club's football secretary, his brother manages a football team and both his two nephews both come to the sessions. Even his great aunt met her husband at a dance there the 1930s!

With BBC Children in Need’s money, the club can stay open over Easter giving children a fun-filled and chocolate-crammed time. Not many children do bonnet-making better than those at the St Andrew’s Club! All week, children at the junior club have been designing and making fancy bonnets to parade for their friends and parents.

The children prepare for Easter by making bonnets.

Everyone went wild for the famous Easter egg hunt! Many eggs were found and devoured... and some were even placed atop the scrumptious Easter cakes being masterfully created by little hands for hungry parents. Have a look at the photos and see whose Easter bonnet you like!

Photos: (c) Jake Sugden

Who You Help: other projects in London

Meet children you help in other areas across the UK

Who You Help: projects in Brighton

2013-03-26T15:36:15+00:00

The weather may still be far too cold for a dip in the sea, but we're not letting that stop us from visiting Brighton in our whistle-stop round-the-UK tour of projects that your donations are helping to support.

As a result of the incredible total of £26,757,446 that was raised on November’s Appeal night, BBC Children in Need is delighted to be able to make grants totalling £158,321 to projects in Brighton supporting disadvantaged children and young people in the first "grant round" of 2013.

Sadie (left) and Bethany were brought together by the befriending service 'Fun In Action'

One project in Brighton currently benefitting from a BBC Children in Need grant is Fun in Action, a befriending service which matches an adult volunteer to a child or young person from a disadvantaged lone parent family. The service helps to relieve pressure on families whilst providing a caring relationship for the child or young person.

Bethany, 11 and Sadie have been befrienders for over four years. Beth is a young carer, so during the time she and Sadie spend together, she can just be herself. They do lots of different activities, like growing vegetables on the allotment, bike riding and picnics on the beach. Sadie sees a real difference in Beth, as each week she grows in confidence.

Sadie says: “I really enjoy spending time with Bethany. She's great fun to be with, always really enthusiastic and ready to try new things. It's great to be Bethany's 'big sister' and be a bit of a kid again!”

Amongst the projects in Brighton receiving grants in this round is The Link Up Project, who have been awarded a three year grant of £29,831 to provide activities such as water sports, ice-skating and horse riding to disabled children and young people to help them meet others in similar situations.

Who You Help: other projects in the South East

Meet children you help in other areas across the UK

Hwyl a Chyfeillgarwch

2013-03-26T12:16:15+00:00

Ar Chwefror 26 fe gynhaliwyd digwyddiad unigryw yn Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd. Diben y digwyddiad oedd i rhoi cyfle i siarad am yr heriau sy’n wynebu pobl ifanc anabl yn eu harddegau i fwynhau y bywyd cymdeithasol mae’r rhan fwyaf o bobl ifanc yn derbyn yn ganiataol. Fe ddaeth 12 person ifanc o’r ddau sefydliad yng Nghymru sydd yn rhan o gynllun Hwyl a Chyfeillgarwch BBC Plant mewn Angen: prosiect Hawl i Gael Hwyl Mencap Cymru a phrosiect “Kidz Together Now” gan Whizz Kidz. Yn ogystal a chynrychiolwyr o ysgolion, Chwaraeon Anabledd Cymru, y diwydiant teithio a’r Tîm Heddlu Cymunedol roedd yn bleser croesawi cynrychiolwyr o’n partneriaid corfforaethol Cineworld a Boots i ymuno â’r drafodaeth.

Fe drafodwyd nifer o atebion ymarferol a fyddai’n galluogi i bobl ifanc anabl i fynd allan ac i wneud teithio’n hawddach. Er enghraifft: a fyddai’n bosib i greu carden teithio – sydd wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn yng Nghwynedd – i bob person ifanc anabl yng Nghymru?

Roedd y drafodaeth yn obeithiol ac yn adeiladol ond darodd un dyn ifanc tant pan soniodd, yn eithaf ddifraw, ei fod yn teimlo lle bynnag mae’n mynd mae’n disgwyl ni fyddai’n cael ei dderbyn.

Y neges a wnaeth atseinio’n glir oedd mae’r newidiadau pwysicaf sydd angen eu gwneud yn ymwneud â deall ac ymddygiad. Mae anawsterau ymarferol yn gallu cael eu datrys yn ddigon rhwydd os all pawb cymryd rhywfaint bach o amser i wrando a dod i ddeall eu gilydd. Wnaeth pawb adnabod newidiadau er gwell i’w gwneud yn eu bywydau (yn broffesiynol neu’n breifat).

Dychmygwch am raddfa’r newid pe bai pawb yn gallu gwneud yr un peth.

Read this article in English

Disabled Young People get together for Fun and Friendship

2013-03-22T16:39:00+00:00

We're carrying on our tour of BBC Children in Need funded projects in the UK by looking at two events in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Disabled young people have been getting together in the two countries for 'Fun and Friendship' events. The Fun and Friendship Programme was designed to increase the opportunities for disabled young people across the UK to make new friends and to socialise more independently.

Cardiff City Stadium was the venue in Wales for the event which brought people together to talk with each other about some of the challenges that disabled teenagers face when they want to go out and have the sort of social lives that most young people take for granted.

Twelve young people from the two organisations in Wales that are participating - Mencap Cymru’s Play Our Way Project and Whizz-Kidz ‘Kidz Together Now’ Project - talked with participants from schools, Sports Disability Wales, Children in Wales, the Community Police and the transport industry, to name but a few. We were also delighted that representatives from our Corporate partners at Cineworld and Boots were able to join the lively conversations.

Some very practical solutions were identified that would help making getting out and about easier and more enjoyable for disabled young people. For example, would it not be possible for travel identity cards - which have proved to be so helpful in Gwynedd - to be issued to all disabled young people in the whole of Wales?

Discussion was upbeat and constructive, but one young man struck a chord with everyone when he said, very matter-of-factly, that whenever he went anywhere he went with the, often realised, expectation that he would not be accepted. Guests included Junior Minister Jennifer McCann In Belfast invited guests including Junior Minister Jennifer McCann and Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley Mooney.

Whilst describing some of the many barriers that often make it difficult for disabled young people, solutions were also proposed. Young people from Compass’s S.INC Project demonstrated the power of peer buddying, and all the young participants had some very practical suggestions to make to the Translink representative about how public transport might become more user friendly.

The young people had lots to say and the opportunity to share their ideas. Most importantly they were able to share them with people who were really listening and who are committed to making real and positive change.

The most resonating message was that the changes that matter most are changes in attitudes and understanding. Practical difficulties can often be overcome if everyone takes a little bit more time to listen to and understand each other. Those who were there all identified things that they could easlily do in their personal of professional lives which would make a positive difference.

Imagine the scale of the change that could be made if we all did the same.

Darllenwch yn Gymraeg

Find out more about who BBC Children in Need help in your area by clicking here.

Watch our appeal films by clicking here.

BBC Children in Need funded project wins film award

2013-03-21T16:05:53+00:00

BBC Children in Need funded project Twin Vision has won Best Documentary Film at the 2013 First Light Film Awards in London. The documentary is called Echoes of Substance Misuse Twin Vision is a project which provides access to video and digital equipment to children and young people who have suffered bereavement.

Their film called Echoes of Substance Misuse won Best Documentary Film and was chosen because of its honest portrayal of substance misuse.

One of the judges was TV presenter Dawn Porter. Talking about the documentary, she said: "It showed great maturity in tackling such a serious issue. The film tackles the issue head on, never skirting around the topic. A very powerful and informative piece… a film and a message that needs to be told. I believe other young people would greatly benefit from seeing this film".

Twin Vision worked with young people from across Liverpool making sure they treated the sensitive personal stories that developed with respect.

The story is based around local rapper Mike aka Innuendo who fell into a life of drugs and crime before turning his life around and is now a successful music artist. But the film also revealed a wide range of narratives showing the negative effects choosing a life involving drugs can produce.

Find out more about who BBC Children in Need help in your area by clicking here.

Watch our appeal films by clicking here.

International Happiness Day

2013-03-20T11:14:55+00:00

We want to celebrate the projects we fund that bring a smile or an infectious chuckle to a child’s face on this the first International Happiness Day. One of those projects is Oily Cart which travels all over the UK delivering 55 minutes of interactive entertainment to very young children with complex learning disabilities. These spectacular, multisensory shows are performed at their special schools or at commercial theatres and are personalised too, with performers taking their cues from the children’s responses to activities as well as those of their one-to-one carers.

First the children are collected from their classroom and led Pied Piper style to the assembly hall. Then they are moved from their wheelchairs and all the child’s senses are engaged while they watch and clap from specially designed ‘leaf' chairs that the child’s carer or ‘chair driver’ can move to make them swing, sway, bounce or spin along with the child’s wishes and in time to the gentle, rhythmic music that’s being played.

Each show is based around a central theme and the latest is Tube, which may seem bizarre, but as artistic director Tim Webb explains, tube shaped objects are incredibly versatile. You can look through them, make noises with them, blow through them, crawl through them, unravel them, put things inside them and shake them. And that’s exactly what happens during the Tube show, most recently performed for two groups of six children at Brooklands special school in Reigate, Surrey. The three performers, dressed in brightly coloured costumes of spots or stripes to give a clear silhouette to children who are visually impaired, traverse the makeshift performance space to engage with each child individually. Their very different voices combine in jazzy harmony as they emphasise each word of a song and fetch different objects to illustrate it. Those objects include a tube-shaped plastic straw that they use to blow air onto Ross’s hand or a specially adapted balloon pump that wafts the scent of lavender or mandarin towards Leyla’s nose. Then a tube-shaped towel is unravelled and placed on Ben’s lap to protect him from getting wet as a clear, plastic umbrella is similarly unravelled and a fine mist of water sprayed over him to simulate rain.

Light was also involved when a white lantern is attached to a hook on the leaf chair hung above all the children’s heads, the lights switched off and objects sprinkled into the lantern so they can swish them about and hear them rattle. If they can’t hear the songs and sounds very well, they can feel the vibration through the concertina’d tubes brought to them and from the tunes tapped out on the specially designed percussion organ. Every child had a personalised goodbye sung to them and every child smiled or chuckled during the performance, leaving them delighted at the end of a long school day.

Staff caring for the children said afterwards: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Emily, who’s seven, engaged for that long. It was the perfect activity for her and she particularly reacted to one of the characters. She was laughing and smiling the whole way through.

“Ross loved the goodbye song and the tempo of the music and the movement of the chair.

“Jack said ‘Bye’ really clearly and Shea said Leyla’s name and Leyla said goodbye with a very clear letter g and two definite syllables. Toby sat bolt upright to see what was going on and Harley, who has a strong grip, let go of the tube when he was asked because the performer just knew to be gentle and patient with him.” Staff also said the movement of the chair relaxed the children. They were comfortable and the pauses between each song gave them a chance to rest too and to respond vocally if they wished. Teachers learnt a thing or two too as they were able to take a step back and observe the children’s reactions instead of their usual role of leading a session.

It’s a show that the children are expected to join in, rather than simply observe, and it’s impossible not to smile as you watch the children’s transfixed faces - children who might find a local or West End theatre simply overwhelming.

But funding is tight. As general manager Kathy Everett explains: "There is increasing demand for our work for young people with complex disabilities and we have a long waiting list.”

Your donations have helped BBC Children in Need’s grant pays for two of the performers and a development researcher at Oily Cart. We also fund several organisations like the Pod Charitable Trust, the Welsh National Opera’s Singing Doctors, the W5 play workers and Sinfonietta that visit children in hospital when they are feeling scared and vulnerable. So thank you for helping to make disadvantaged children happy.

Find out more about who BBC Children in Need help in your area by clicking here.

Watch our appeal films by clicking here.

Down's Syndrome Awareness Week

2013-03-19T13:33:33+00:00

Myles and Malcolm are 18-year-old twin brothers. You probably wouldn’t guess that by looking at them and unlike other sets of twins they both live very different lives. Malcolm is 6’4" and going off to university this year, whereas Myles is about 5’4", has Down’s Syndrome and may never fly the nest. The first clue for parents Marina and Mike that something wasn’t right was during the pregnancy. Marina could always feel one baby wriggling and kicking, but the other felt like a lead weight inside her.

On the day of their birth Myles was diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome and sticky blood, which means that he does not produce plasma. The doctor said to the new parents: “One day we hope he might be able to tie his own shoelaces”. If tying his shoelaces would be a challenge, what else would Myles struggle with?

When Marina first tried to breastfeed Myles he couldn't latch on properly and seemed unable to control his tongue. His tiny body was really cold and he was rushed to special care. Marina could only lie still terrified about what was happening to him.

The twins grew up very closely. Malcolm often used to climb into Myles’ cot in the night, because he missed being close to his twin.

Even with all the difficulties of raising a child with Down’s Syndrome, Marina and Mike have been lucky. They have been very well supported and Myles has always been in mainstream education, as they did not want him to be in split apart from other people his age.

Marina and Mike have worked hard to make sure that he had support all day while at school. In class teachers have taught the other children sign language to help them communicate with Myles, and the children in turn have taught their own parents.

Myles is also doing a number of work experience placements. The school runs a café for the parents and teachers and with the help of pictures, Myles works there waiting tables. He also volunteers on Sunday mornings at the YMCA shop and a farm one day a week. This is a real step forward for Myles and helps give him independence and the confidence that he so badly needs.

BBC Children in Need funds Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group, a charity which supports the family and helps them learn more about the condition. They also organise fun outings, swimming lessons, have a book and audio library and Myles attended speech therapist sessions at the group.

Down’s Syndrome affects one in every 1,000 babies born in the UK, but for twins like Myles and Malcolm, it's one in 15 million. Instead of focusing on the twins' differences, Marina and Mike feel immensely proud what both of them have achieved.

Find out more about who BBC Children in Need help in your area by clicking here.

Watch our appeal films by clicking here.