WHIZZ KIDZ

I was invited to the launch of the Whizz Kidz Morph project around London.  An amazing 70 sculptures are positioned all over The City in an accessible step free trail around London’s most famous landmarks including St Pauls, Tate Modern, Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe and Borough Market.

This is set to be the first accessible, step-free cultural event of its kind based in Central London for the summer of 2023 for young wheelchair users across the UK. Many of them are unable to access the right equipment and support to meet their needs, and they struggle to participate equally in cultural events and social activities due to poor accessibility and inclusion.

Give it Away’s donation will be providing a motorised wheelchair attachment for a young girl aged 5 who needs a power assisted chair.

HOME START WANDSWORTH

I caught up with them at a Community Centre Hub where they can meet once a week in a Church who host these sessions in Southfields.

There is a delicious café on site and lunch is a treat for everyone! These Mums and young children live locally and are often referred to Home Start by their GP’s or hospital co-ordinator when they feel there is a need for support and back up.  Home Start provide dedicated mentors who visit weekly, help with all family, domestic, language and financial issues and organise social outings where isolated young Mums can meet and chat with others.

I had help with opening the pink envelope from a very young attendee!

BACK UP TRUST

They continue to provide essential help, support, and mentoring to those whose lives are turned upside down following a spinal cord injury.  Give it Away’s donation is going toward ongoing mentoring. I met Michelle whose husband’s life and that of his family was changed forever following a fall and an illness which affected his spinal cord – she has been helped immensely by Back Up and now mentors for them. I was also sent the story of Michael – this is real life and you can see what a difference is being made with these donations:

Peer Mentoring for people affected by spinal cord injury

The Back-Up Trust, Company No. 3596996 Registered England and Wales, registered Charity Nos. 1072216 & SC040577

Meet Michael, retired teacher, husband, dad and grandad.

Michael and his wife, Pauline retired in 2009, having been teachers all their working lives. They were enjoying the good life, cycling, golf, skiing and ballroom dancing every week. Then on 28th March 2019 their whole world was turned on its head.

Michael had a cycling accident and broke his back. All their plans were on pause and they had no idea what the future would hold. Michael spent six months in a rehabilitation unit at the North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, and it was there that he met Back Up and was introduced to mentoring.

We are seeking your support for our transformative mentoring programme, assisting individuals affected by spinal cord injury (SCI) in navigating the challenges they face after injury. Each year, 2,500 people In the UK sustain an SCI, changing their lives forever – symptoms include loss of function and feeling, chronic pain, fatigue, muscle spasms, issues with mobility, bladder and bowel function, and sexual function. It can happen to anyone – the result of illness, an accident or fall.

In Michael’s case he was desperate to find someone he could relate to who understood what he was going through.

“I needed to speak to someone who had been in a similar situation to myself. I have to have something in common with the person to connect. That’s what I needed and that’s what I got.”

“Just talking to people of a similar level of injury – I was so impressed when I heard what others were doing! The confidence I’ve gained has led me to become more independent in every aspect. So much so, that my wife and I recently flew for a short break in Amsterdam – our first flight since my accident. Everything went well so thank you to Back Up!”

About our mentoring programme

Individuals are paired with trained volunteer mentors with similar experience, who provide guidance, support, and knowledge to overcome the challenges they face and achieve personal goals. Mentors come from all walks of life and, having often been supported by Back Up themselves, want to offer their time to support others in situations they can relate to. They are trained and supervised by three clinical psychologists, one of whom has an SCI.

. Last year we matched 206 individuals, doubling the number from the previous year. 84% reported an increase in positive coping strategies, and 89% achieved their personal goals through the mentoring sessions. In the coming year, we aim to reach 100 more people and that’s why we need your support.

The impact of mentoring goes beyond facts and figures. The feedback we receive from mentees highlights the transformative power of Back Up’s support in enabling individuals to accomplish everyday tasks that many of us often take for granted. Your funding would make their life-changing journey easier to navigate – empowering them to regain independence, confidence, and hope.

Cost

It costs £500/person to be supported by a Back Up mentor. This includes the costs of the mentoring team, volunteer training and direct costs of the mentoring platform. Any multiple of this will help us to reach more people who desperately need this support. Thank you for giving this your consideration.

REACT

This Charity brings depth and practical comfort to families often on low income with a single parent or carer where a child under 17 is living with medical life limiting and difficult conditions. Vicky and I met over lunch to review their latest newsletter (see below) which explains why these donations are so badly needed.  REACT are very prompt with the way they use donations and always give me valued feed back.