A RALLYING call has been issued to caring city residents to help raise the £20,000 needed to help a Worcester charity realise its dreams.
Charity chiefs at New Hope, which provides support for families of children with severe disabilities and complex health needs, have made the plea to enable them to boost the service they offer.
As well as a plea for help, the charity is also bidding for votes in the Aviva Community Fund where the insurance giant will offer cash grants to community-based projects which top an online vote.
Kind-hearted volunteers have already collected £3,000 themselves and if they secure the further £17,000 needed, they will open a new centre at Top Barn farm in Hallow.
The new scheme will extend the charity’s work and provide support for young people aged 19 to 25 who have disabilities and will offer sessions like horticulture and cooking.
New Hope also aim to get young people into the local community and see farm animals such as donkeys and chickens which provide a therapeutic effect for young disabled people.
The need for the service arose when parents in the city reported how difficult it was when their children left school to find new settings as few colleges offer age specific courses.
Jean Wilson founded New Hope after she and other parents and carers struggled to find suitable specialist daytime care for her daughter Emily who has disabilities.
After support from Worcester Community Housing who leased the project a building rent-free in 2010 and donations from Worcester Round Table, Mencap, Tesco and the Lotto, New Hope was established.
“We already support children up to the age of 19 so we feel this new project offers a continuation of our service for those who would wish to use it,” said Jean.
“We have been open for five years now, growing the project from just three families initially, to currently supporting 93 families, and have identified a need for young people leaving school to have a locally based day care centre in a rural community.
“We have fund-raised this project as we firmly believe we should not just apply for grants but need to be seen helping ourselves, and have raised £3,000 in the last six months towards our goal of £20,000 with the target to open in September 2015.”
This proposed new service would be open all year around on Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and trained staff would be available to offer their support to young people using the scheme.
E-mail [email protected] for more information on the charity.
Visit https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/130/ to vote.
