City based children’s disability charity seeking help to fund virtual summer holiday activities

A charity that supports supports children with additional needs, disabilities and life limiting conditions along with their whole families is appealing for urgent help to keep going after seeing its income plummet due to Covid-19 restrictions.
By Andy Hubbert
Published 9th Jul 2020, 05:10 BST
The Little Miracles base in Ravensthorpe, Peterborough. EMN-200807-152424001The Little Miracles base in Ravensthorpe, Peterborough. EMN-200807-152424001
The Little Miracles base in Ravensthorpe, Peterborough. EMN-200807-152424001

Little Miracles, based at The Spinney on Hartwell Way in Ravensthorpe provides services including counselling, support with applications for funding and benefits advice, as well as holding lots of play sessions for the children and their siblings. It has other branches across the East of England.

However Covid-19 has been forcing the families it supports to shield in their own homes, cutting off their connections to society, friends and family.

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Emma Rodrigues from Little Miracles said that as the world emerges from lockdown the charity’s families are still concentrating on staying safe and staying at home.

Little Miracles cares for and supports children with additional needs, disabilities and life-,limiting conditions and their families. EMN-200807-152332001Little Miracles cares for and supports children with additional needs, disabilities and life-,limiting conditions and their families. EMN-200807-152332001
Little Miracles cares for and supports children with additional needs, disabilities and life-,limiting conditions and their families. EMN-200807-152332001

She said: “It is making it impossible for us to offer the children and families their normal summer activities this year.

“This increased isolation means less interaction with adults they have grown to know and trust, as well as a major disruption in routines that it may have taken many families years of hard work to build up.

“Our counselling team is seeing that the lack of stimulation and social isolation is increasing the risk of mental health issues in both children and their parents.”

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Throughout lockdown the charity’s staff have been running virtual online sessions for families, but they need help financially to provide a fully virtual summer holiday.

Little Miracles are looking for donations to fund a virtual summer holiday event. EMN-200807-152350001Little Miracles are looking for donations to fund a virtual summer holiday event. EMN-200807-152350001
Little Miracles are looking for donations to fund a virtual summer holiday event. EMN-200807-152350001

Emma explained: “Covid-19 has caused our income to plummet, our fundraisers cancelled and our families trapped at home without the care and support they need.”

People can help by donating towards the summer programme so they can deliver fun sessions to the young people with the resources and equipment they need for children to participate.

The charity normally also organise events such as slumber parties at their Peterborough centre, and in the past they have taken the children on trips out.

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“Many of the families we support have been with us since their children were babies and we have watched them grow up with us,” said Emma.

Every summer they put on activities durng the school olidays and they are extremely popular. Often with over 300 children a day attending.

To help, you can donate at: http://www.littlemiraclescharity.org.uk/

Related topics:Covid-19RavensthorpeEast of EnglandPeterborough

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