Background
As our regular supporters and beneficiaries will already know, Happy Days Children's Charity has been funding and arranging special days and memorable activities for children with physical, mental and emotional challenges since 1992.
With your help, we're able to support almost 25,000 children with additional needs every year, removing barriers to give them a chance to get out, make new friends, develop new skills and build confidence in the face of adversity.
The effects of the Coronavirus pandemic were profound, but even more so on the mental health of families that were already struggling with the everyday challenges of looking after a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). And it's a legacy that for many will have a profound effect long after lockdown and distancing measures end.
About Happy Days Covid Family Support Project
Throughout the pandemic, Happy Days remained open every day and we were a vital support to families and SEND support groups at a time when the world got a little more scary. Some of our childrens activities were of course affected but with careful planning and by working together, we were able to continue providing help at a very difficult time.
In fact, despite all of the difficulties that we faced, from the intial lockdown in March 2020 until restrictions began to ease in July 2021, we were still able to help 14,728 children.
During this time, we received hundreds of calls from mums and dads who were stuggling to cope with the additional pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic and who needed our help. With this in mind, we quickly set up the Happy Days Covid Family Support Project. The purpose of this campaign was to encourage people to raise funds to help us provide support for SEND children who had been further impacted by the coronavirus. Funds raised helped us provide holidays, daytrips and activities for children and their families to support their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Our objective was to help children with disabilities, life limiting conditions, victims of abuse and young carers:
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Who had been affected by coronavirus
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Who had lost a parent, grandparent, brother or sister to covid-19
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Whose family had been seriously impacted financially through the loss of employment
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Whose mental health had been severely impacted as a result of the pandemic
Whilst the lockdown has now ended, the affects of the pandemic will be long lasting for many years to come. So we will still be making efforts to help those children and families living with the legacy of Covid-19 with the Covid Family Support Fund.
So if you'd like to help with fundraising or donations, or are a parent or guardian that needs support and would like to apply, please do get in touch with Ryan or Rob on 01462 530710 or email enquiries@happydayscharity.org
Thank you so much and stay well.
YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT THIS APPEAL THROUGH OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS:
