2016 was a busy and wonderful year for the Children’s Respite Trust. After hosting two comedy nights, a golf day, and masquerade ball, the Trust achieved many feats and accomplishments, not least helping many more families with disabled children.
The 2016 Ball
The 2016 masquerade ball not only had more attendees than ever before this year but also raised the highest amount in the event’s history. Held at the Winter Gardens in Eastbourne, the event had a live band, silent auction, balloon raffle, and a three-course meal. Nearly 500 people attended the ball and raised over £50,000. It is your support at events like this that helps us achieve new goals.
100 Families
We founded the Trust six years ago and in 2016 we helped our 100th family to get some respite. This is something that we’re hugely proud of. We continue to help many of them on an ongoing basis. We increased the number of carers placed with families by 25% and we look to develop new services in 2017 to enhance and better serve new and existing families.
Joined-up Working
Throughout 2016 the Trust has played a lead in developing a co-ordinated approach to providing respite for disabled children throughout the country. We have so far met with six other charitable organisations providing similar if not identical services.
Between the six charities we represent some 510 families and through our joint research we are seeking to understand more detail about some of the social and practical issues faced by families with disabled children. For example, we know anecdotally at least that the incidences of marital break-up are far higher, the chances of siblings getting into trouble at school are increased and even the suicide rate is greater among these families.
Together we aim to provide evidence that this is the case and show how respite can reduce the potentially detrimental social issues. To achieve this, the Trust wishes to reach out to other providers throughout the UK to develop a larger pool of evidence and we look forward to holding a symposium on respite provision for disabled children later in 2017 to welcome more such providers and to give everyone an opportunity to share best practice.
By leading this initiative the Trust looks forward to being able to take advantage of national PR and fundraising opportunities, as well as lobbying for change in national policy. It is going to be an exciting year ahead as a result of these initiatives.
Thank You
All of this work to date has only been possible due to the support of the community. Whether you are new to supporting the Children’s Respite Trust or you have been there from the start, we are enormously grateful for all you have done to help us get to where we are now.