Stranded for SNAPS: a challenge with a difference!
A group of SNAPS supporters are taking on a fundraising challenge with a difference this month!
The Howards: winners announcement
Announcing the winners of our photography competition!
Superhero Challenge Success!
The SNAPS Superhero Challenge 2024 was our biggest yet!
On Sunday, 8th September, we were joined by over 100 children and their families for the best superhero party in town.
Children were entertained by Super Girl, Super Mario and other superheroes, and were also able to meet real-life superheroes from the fire brigade and police. The Lord Mayor of Leeds led a warm-up ahead of families setting off on their zoom around the athletics track and presented each child with their own special medal and goody bag.
Children then enjoyed a giant bouncy castle, inflatable obstacle course, face painting, craft area, slime, soft play and other activities.
This event was generously sponsored by Enfinium, Irwin Mitchell, Wade’s Charity and Taylor Wimpey. Volunteers from the Scouts, Grove Park Care Home, HSBC, Direct Line and Irwin Mitchell also kindly gave their time to help on the day.
The second ever SNAPS Corporate Knockout Challenge took place, with teams from Irwin Mitchell, HSBC, Grove Park Care Home and SNAPS battling it out to for the coveted champions trophy. We would like to congratulate Irwin Mitchell on being our 2024 winners!
The event has so far raised an incredible £9,797 in sponsorship and donations, which is fantastic! These funds will go towards providing vital support services to children and families.
Press coverage for the event included a feature in the Yorkshire Evening Post and interviews with BBC Radio Leeds (you can still listen to Lora and the brilliant Phoenix here, skip ahead to 1hr 40 mins).
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came to the event – from families to volunteers, we hope that you had a wonderful time and see you next year!
We have more fantastic photos to share on our Facebook page, take a look via the link below.
SNAPS Superhero Challenge zooms into the news!
The SNAPS Superhero Challenge 2024 was a big success, with over 100 children and their families joining us for a fun-filled day.
We also secured some local press coverage for the event, including a photo feature in The Yorkshire Evening Post – take a look here.
Press coverage ahead of the event included a piece in The Yorkshire Post, as well as interviews with BBC Radio Leeds. The lovely Tim was interviewed about his daughter Florence taking part in the challenge, whilst Lora and Phoenix also featured ahead of the day.
You can still listen to Lora and the brilliant Phoenix here (just skip ahead to 1hr 40 mins).
Meanwhile, Taylor Wimpey’s sponsorship of the event also featured in the Yorkshire Post.
Photography Competition: The Howards!
Our late Trustee Howard Pickles was a wonderful photographer and always managed to capture special moments at SNAPS’ events. With this in mind, we thought that a photography competition, which we’ve named ‘The Howards’, would be a fitting way to honour him.
So, if you’re coming along to the SNAPS Superhero Challenge on Sunday, 8th September, don’t forget to take some snaps to be in with a chance of winning! There are three prizes up for grabs:
1st place: A family pass to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park (for up to two adults and four children)
2nd place: A children’s digital camera
3rd place: Your photo made into a children’s jigsaw
Some suggested themes/ ideas for photos are:
- Smiles for SNAPS: a photo that captures the fun of the Superhero Challenge
- Action Shot: a photo that captures the Zoom or one of the activities
- Humour: a photo capturing a funny or unexpected moment
Howard’s family have kindly agreed to judge the contest and they will be looking for the best photo that captures the essence of the Superhero Challenge!
How to enter:
- Submit your photo/s to: fundraising@snapsyorkshire.org
- The closing date is Sunday, 15th September
- The competition is limited to three entries per family
Once your submission is received, we will send you a consent form to ensure that you and all of those present within the photograph are happy for the photo to be shared within future PR. All photos submitted will be featured in a Facebook album.
Winners will be announced on social media and our website on Wednesday 25th September. Good luck!
Our latest Impact Report
We’re very pleased to share our latest Impact Report, which illustrates the support we’ve been able to provide to children with additional needs and their families over the past 12 months.
We’re proud of everything that we’ve achieved over the past year, including:
Support for 180 families every month across Leeds and West Yorkshire
341 hydrotherapy sessions
204 swimming lessons
174 stay and play sessions
40 dance sessions
10 family support sessions
…and much more!
Our report isn’t just about numbers, though. We also wanted to hear directly from the families we work with to find out how our services have helped them. Through our impact questionnaire, we were told that:
Over 90% of families attending SNAPS have seen improved mental health for them and their children, improved feelings of isolation and improved feelings of happiness.
83% of families saw improvements to their child’s physical health with 73% reporting improvements to their child’s pain.
100% of families who attend SNAPS with a sibling without additional needs saw an improvement to their feelings of happiness.
We couldn’t have achieved this without the hard work of our amazing team, our brilliant supporters and of course the amazing children and their families that we work with!
To read the SNAPS Impact Report 2024 in full, click the button below.
Mark Bramfitt raises over £3,000 for SNAPS!
Our friend Mark Bramfitt has once again undertaken a fundraising challenge for SNAPS, this time raising over £3,000!
Mark raised the funds by completing a sponsored football themed distance challenge using the cycle, row and cross trainer machines at his gym. He completed over 435 km, the equivalent of travelling between Leeds, Manchester United and Liverpool football stadiums!
Both Mark and his wife, Ann, are passionate about supporting children’s charities. They chose to raise money for SNAPS as their grandson, Jack, faces challenges from acute epilepsy and cerebral palsy because of complications at birth. Jack and his family come to SNAPS sessions at Penny Fields school, where he enjoys hydrotherapy and rebound therapy.
Ann says: “It’s heartwarming to see how much Jack enjoys his sessions with SNAPS, and we’ve really witnessed him growing stronger and more confident along the way.”
This isn’t the first time that Mark has raised money for SNAPS, having raised over £4,500 for SNAPS previously through two challenges, including a step challenge. Mark says: “Every child deserves the very best that life has to offer. SNAPS is such a great setting for families to meet and provide mutual support. It’s so important for families with children with additional needs to know that they are not alone.”
Mark is also the Development Manager and Coach for North East Leeds Juniors. He believes that football should be for everyone, regardless of their abilities, and he’s committed to never turning a child away. He says: “I’ve had kids with additional needs join our sessions, and it fills me with joy to see them progress. I truly believe in the power of sports to boost confidence, teach valuable life skills, and promote the importance of exercise and being outdoors.
“Before Jack came into our lives, we didn’t know much about children with complex and additional needs, but we’ve learned so much since. These kids are incredibly special and deserve every chance to live life to the fullest, no matter what extra support they might need.”
A huge thank you to Mark and Ann from all of us at SNAPS! You are an inspiration and your fundraising efforts are hugely appreciated. Every penny raised makes such a huge difference and helps us to keep doing what we do.
Inspired by Mark? Find out more about fundraising for SNAPS here.
Howard Pickles
21st January 1961 – 15th June 2024
We were incredibly sad to hear that our good friend Howard Pickles passed away last month.
Howard had been Treasurer on SNAPS’ Board of Trustees since 2017 helping us to ensure that SNAPS’ finances were in the best possible health. His expert knowledge and advice were incredibly valuable to the management of SNAPS and helped ensure that the charity remained in a solid financial position. As well as his financial acumen, Howard was a skilled photographer who gave his time willingly to beautifully capture the key moments at SNAPS’ events. He was fantastic with SNAPS’ staff, volunteers and families, and his cheeky grin always managed to generate a true smile from his subjects. I am sure everyone who came to SNAPS Superhero Challenge will remember him fondly.
Howard was generous with his time, expertise, and the care he showed to everyone who met him. We send our love to Anne, James, Kate and all his family at this difficult time. We will miss his knowledge, sense of humour and kindness greatly but his incredible support of SNAPS, in so many ways, will leave a lasting legacy that no one will forget.
-Lucy Owen, Chief Executive, SNAPS
Phoenix visits the BBC
You might remember the brilliant Phoenix and his mum, Lora, featuring on BBC Radio 2 last year, where they talked all about SNAPS as part of BBC Children in Need.
Following the interview, Phoenix was invited to Bolton Wanderers stadium to speak to Zoe Ball live on air, and meet Vernon Kay at the end of his Ultra Ultra marathon challenge for Children in Need. Vernon had completed an epic 115 mile journey, raising over £5 million.
Well, Phoenix was such a hit with the BBC team that he and Lora were recently invited to meet with Vernon Kay once again, this time as part of a special surprise event to celebrate Vernon’s incredible achievement. Phoenix and Lora went along to the BBC at MediaCityUK in Salford, where Phoenix was brought out as a special surprise guest for Vernon, who was so delighted that he offered to take Phoenix to a Bolton Wanderers game!
Phoenix and Lora were then given the opportunity to go behind the scenes, visiting a number of sets including Match of the Day and CBeebies, where they bumped into presenter George Webster!
Well done Phoenix, you’re a natural media star and we’re sure this isn’t the last time you’ll be visiting the BBC studios!
You can read more about Phoenix and his family here.
Child Friendly Leeds Awards Winners!
Members of the SNAPS team attended the Child Friendly Leeds Awards 2024 at the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds yesterday.
It was a fantastic evening, made even better when SNAPS was announced as winner of “Exceptional Contribution to the Child Friendly Leeds 12 Wishes!”
This award recognises the individuals, projects and organisations who have positively contributed to one of the Child Friendly Leeds 12 wishes, which were developed with children and young people across Leeds in 2022. The judges had received over 300 nominations, so we were thrilled just to be shortlisted!
Child Friendly Leeds is all about creating better outcomes for children and young people in Leeds, something that we truly believe in here at SNAPS. We’re absolutely delighted to have our work recognised in this way and would like to congratulate all of the winners of the 2024 awards.
Our Chief Executive, Lucy Owen, says: “It was amazing to hear about the organisations and individuals doing amazing things for young people across our city at the Child Friendly Leeds Awards.
“The Exceptional Contribution to the Child Friendly Leeds 12 Wishes Award is so important because it’s all about children’s voices being heard. This accolade is testament to our amazing staff and volunteer team, and of course our fabulous families, who make SNAPS the incredible place it is!”
You can find out more about Child Friendly Leeds here.