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Families

Category: Families

FamiliesIn The PressNews
May 16, 2023

SNAPS NEEDS YOUR VOTE TO WIN A SHARE OF £250,000 OF NATIONAL LOTTERY FUNDING 

  • SNAPS (Special Needs and Parent Support) Yorkshire is calling on local people to support its bid to win £63,000 of National Lottery funding in this year’s The People’s Projects
  • Voting opens at 9am on Monday 15 May at thepeoplesprojects.org.uk
  • Your vote could make the difference – don’t miss the chance to have your say on which community projects get life-changing National Lottery funding 
  • A film promoting SNAPS’ project will be aired on ITV Calendar News where viewers get to see our incredible work.
Peoples Project

We are calling on all our family and friends to help SNAPS secure £63,000 of National Lottery funding by voting for us in this year’s The People’s Projects.  

Please show your support and vote for SNAPS by midday on Friday 26th May via this link. 

SNAPS is one of five groups in Yorkshire in the running for a share of almost £250,000 of funding. If successful, SNAPS will use the money to fund a whole year of support at one our sites! That means more services for you are families!

The People’s Projects not only delivers vital grants to the heart of UK communities, but also raises awareness of the incredible work of the 95 shortlisted community groups vying for your vote. Back after a 3-year break, The National Lottery Community Fund, ITV, UTV and the Sunday Mail (in Scotland) have teamed up to give the public a chance to decide how National Lottery funding should be put to good use in their local area.  

In each region, the three projects with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £70,000. This funding will help make a real difference to people’s lives, particularly in these difficult times. The runner’s up in each region will be offered up to £10,000 towards their project, bringing the total funding up for grabs for communities across the UK to over £4 million.  

SNAPS will be featured on ITV Calendar from 6pm on Friday 19th May, so please do tune in or set your recorder to see SNAPS in action!

Voting is open and if you haven’t already please vote here: https://www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk/projects/view/snaps

 Lucy Owen, Chief Executive at SNAPS, said:

“The People’s Projects has given us an amazing opportunity to raise awareness and support for our work and, with your help, secure this additional much-needed funding. If we win, our project will make a real difference to our local community. These funds could help to fund a whole year of SNAPS’ services at one of our sites and allow us to support even more children and families who need us. We now need local people to get behind us, to show their support and vote for SNAPS to receive these vital funds.” 

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said:

“The People’s Projects delivers much-needed funding to the heart of communities and showcases the incredible efforts of hard-working projects across the UK. The short-listed groups are truly inspirational, each delivering life-changing support to their community in different ways. It is now time for the public to have their say in how vital National Lottery funding is used in their area to make a difference to people’s lives, particularly in these challenging times.” 

Since it started in 2005, The People’s Projects has awarded around £45 million to over 1,000 good causes.   

Voting closes at noon on Friday 26 May 2023.

People can vote only once per region and will need an email address or mobile number to vote*.

To support SNAPS and for Terms and Conditions please visit www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk 

We need your votes!

 

By admin
FamiliesFundraisingIn The PressNews
January 10, 2023

Super-dad cycled over 1,300 miles to raise £25,000 for local Leeds charity

A Leeds father has cycled 1,341 miles and raised an incredible £25,000 for a charity that helps children with additional needs.

Ben Milner, 33, has conquered both the London to Amsterdam Challenge and the Ride Across Britain, to support SNAPS (Special Needs and Parent Support) and raise funds for the Leeds charity.

The charity is close to Ben and his family’s heart, as it supports his son Phoenix, 6, who has dystonia and cerebral palsy. Ben said: “My son Phoenix has been supported by SNAPS for the past five years. He has made use of the fantastic services SNAPS offer. I’d go as far as saying if wasn’t for SNAPS, Phoenix wouldn’t be the little boy he is today.”

SNAPS provides support services for children with additional needs of all kinds, and their families, which includes weekly physiotherapy, specialist swimming lessons, arts and crafts, dance, sign and sing, music therapy, and accessible football clubs.

To complete the challenge, Ben trained by cycling an average of 100 miles a week and thought of his son a lot, saying: “I’ve always had a ‘do NOT get off this bike’ mantra, and I stick to it. If I ever think I’m wavering on a challenge, I just tell myself that Phoenix goes through more every day and has been through more in his 6 years of life than I have in 33 years. The challenges are nothing compared to that.”

Ben received a lot of support from his friends, family, and his colleagues at the Data Shed, Leeds, not only supported Ben emotionally, they also contributed greatly to his fundraising efforts. Anna Sutton, CEO & Co-Founder of the Data Shed, said: “the Data Shed always supports our own, particularly when they go to the lengths, like Ben Milner has, to support a wonderful organisation like SNAPS. SNAPS has supported Ben and his family throughout the last few years, and we were thrilled to be able to contribute towards that. We loved cheering Ben on from the sidelines during his fundraising ride and getting regular updates on his progress.”

The funds raised by Ben will enable SNAPS to continue its vital work supporting an average of 180 families per term with essential physiotherapy and support. The charity, which is completely independently funded, is open access and non-referral, and has seen a huge increase in demand for its services – currently receiving enquiries from 100 new families a term.

Lucy Owen, Chief Executive at SNAPS, said: “we would like to say a massive thank you to Ben for his incredible hard work and dedication, and to all his supporters who generously donated. The families that we support have found the pandemic particularly difficult, and it has taken its toll on many parents’, carers’ and children’s mental and physical health. This is why fundraising like this so important to keep services going and helping to support children and families that need it the most.”

By admin
FamiliesFundraisingIn The PressMeet The FamiliesNewsThe Families
January 3, 2023

Meet Riley

Riley

A positive kick start for Riley!… 

 

Riley is in year 5 at school and 9 years old. Like many other 9 year old boys Riley LOVES football and is a keen supporter of Leeds and Totenham! Riley was desperate to play but unfortunately he struggled to get involved with football in the playground as other children looked at him differently and left him out. In 2021 Riley became one of approximately 8000 children across Leeds with additional needs when he was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD.  Riley is also in remission for neuroblastoma which he was diagnosed with at 21 months old leaving him with severe muscle weakness. In addition, he has permanent hearing loss and uses a hearing aid. Riley finds it extremely difficult to socialize with his peers or to be in large groups. He didn’t like the outdoors or loud noises, hated school, struggled with concentration and was severely lacking in confidence.  

 

Riley’s diagnosis and love of football led to his mum, Sophie looking into groups he could access that could support Riley and that is when she came across SNAPS. Riley joined SNAPS’ Sunday football sessions in 2022 and he has been attending ever since. He has been supported by Charlie Bonner & Andy Wort – specially trained football coaches from the Leeds United Foundation. Thanks to the accessibility of the sessions, which allow for plenty of breaks and enable everyone, regardless of ability, to take part, Riley feels included. Since attending the growth seen in Riley has been incredible.  

Riley

 

Being part of a team (something that most of his peers take for granted) has given Riley the confidence to branch out to other groups and activities. He has made some wonderful friendships and is always smiling! Riley’s love of football has even helped with other aspects of his life such as his schoolworkwhere previously he had struggled with concentration, his teachers now use football as a fun way to learn. Football has also helped Riley physically with the activity supporting his muscle strength which will have a positive long-term impact on Riley’s health. 

Not only has SNAPS supported Riley, but his mum Sophie has also benefitted from the support of SNAPS’ Family Support Project, as well as meeting other parents at SNAPS’ stay and play. Raising a child with additional needs can be hugely isolating and have significant challenges therefore meeting others in a similar situation can have an incredibly positive influence. Sophie has gained vital support from Ali, SNAPS’ Family Support Wellbeing Co-rdinator. Recently Ali was able to support Sophie through a particularly difficult time with Riley’s school when Riley was absent for 10 weeks due to his mental health and self-harm. 

 “There is nothing more painful than seeing your child suffer and it was so reassuring to feel listened to and supported by Ali during such a difficult time” – Sophie 

Today, Riley is like a different child. He is happy, enthusiastic and brimming with confidence! He loves taking part in penalty shootouts and receiving medals. He even took part in the SNAPS Superhero Challenge with 125 other families, which a year ago would have been unheard of! The change has been so significant that when his Gran Leigh came to see him in action on the pitch recently, she was actually brought to tears (of joy)! 

“His confidence has really grown. He’s so confident whilst he’s at football. He’s growing his friendships and it’s just amazing to see. He is happy at football & that brings joy to the family. It’s amazing to see him enjoying something he truly loves. Riley doesn’t like getting out of bed for much but for football he will bounce out of bed and can’t wait to get there! Thank you so much SNAPS for helping Riley’s confidence grow and helping him enjoy something that brings so much joy to his life! I hate to think where he’d be today if it wasn’t for SNAPS”. – Sophie 

 

Each week SNAPS’ football sessions support children like Riley to feel part of a team and take part in something they love. We celebrate all the things children can do, and across each of our services we are creating positive outcomes for both the children and their families. Could you help more children like Riley with a positive kick start in life? 

By admin
FamiliesNewsServices
March 9, 2022

SNAPS Football Club

We are very excited at SNAPS to share the news that we are starting another football club with the Leeds United Foundation.
 
Football Club number two will run every Saturday in term time at Broomfield South SILC from 10am – 11am. Football Club is £3 per session and siblings can also join in with Football Club.
 
We have places available to start from April with us and also have some free taster sessions available.
 
Please email jo@snapsyorkshire.org  for more information or to book your place.
By admin
FamiliesNewsServices
January 19, 2022

SNAPS Swimming Badges

We are very excited to share the news that we will now be following the Rockhopper swimming certificates at SNAPS! And we hope everybody will be excited to start achieving their first swimming certificates with us. 

Rockhopper Series – STA.co.uk 

For further information on SNAPS Swimming or further information on the badges please do get in touch with Jo – jo@snapsyorkshire.org 

By admin
EventsFamiliesNewsUncategorized
January 10, 2022

SNAPS Super Kids Awards 2022

SNAPS Super Kids Awards offer the chance for us to celebrate the amazing children and families we are working with every week at SNAPS!

We are all about making the impossible possible for the children we support and these events are an opportunity to celebrate everyone and their achievements.

You can nominate your child for anything you wish from their beaming smile to achieving their physio goals, we want to celebrate every child we are working with and give all the children at SNAPS the opportunity to accept an award, including siblings.

To make your nomination, simply click on the link below to fill out the details in the nomination form and pick which awards event you’d like to attend. Each child will receive their award and a special treat to celebrate their awesomeness!

Nominations close 9th March 2022.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A NOMINATION

By admin
EventsFamiliesNewsServices
March 23, 2021

SNAPS Re-Opening Plans

I hope you are all keeping well. With the government’s roadmap out of lockdown progressing, I thought now would be a good time to update you on SNAPS’ re-opening plans.

By admin
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