Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children is appealing for enthusiastic local sportsmen and women to take part in this autumn’s Great Birmingham Run – to raise money to help fund vital sensory equipment.
Newlife has 15 places up for grabs in the October 21 event, which covers 13.1 miles and will be broadcast live on Channel 5. Entry through Newlife is free, but runners – aged 17 and over – are asked to raise a minimum of £150 sponsorship for the charity.
Whether you are an occasional jogger, club runner or just like a good brisk walk, the Newlife Community Fundraising Team would like to hear from you. If you are interested, please call Keleigh on 0800 988 4640 or email fundraise@newlifecharity.co.uk. The closing date for entries is Friday 14 September.
Newlife – which is based in Cannock, Staffordshire – supports families of disabled and terminally ill children. One of the services it offers is the loan of sensory and development equipment. The charity’s ‘Kit Boxes’ contain between £300 and £400 of specialist sensory learning and development aids and are available for families to borrow for up to 12 weeks at a time, free of charge. Increasing demand for the resources means that the charity currently has a waiting list of around 120 families wanting Kit Boxes; 40 of these are in the Midlands area.
Newlife lead nurse Karen Dobson said: “Learning and development through play is important to all children, but for those with a disability the opportunity to access a variety of interesting and varied aids may not be a reality. Some of this equipment is around £200 for a single item and many families use our Kit Boxes to find out what sort of aids best suit their child before either buying the items for themselves, applying to charities like Newlife for funding or approaching us for another box to continue the good work.”
Karen added: “Sensory equipment is effective for children with visual impairment, can have a calming effect on those with behavioural issues and stimulates others with learning difficulties. The use of sensory equipment encourages children to get more control over their bodies and their environment and can be a fun way for families to interact.”
Newlife guarantees that 100 per cent of all donations will be used to further develop the Kit Box service. Not a penny is taken out for administration costs. This is possible because the charity operates its own successful unique recycling and retail business which exists solely to fund Newlife’s charitable aims.
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