Young child having swimming lessons with Level WaterDisability

Level Water

April 8, 2021By

Bringing long-term benefits of swimming to children with disabilities

Level Water trains swimming teachers to deliver specialist swimming lessons for children with disabilities.

Our donation of £1,250 to Level Water will fund Teacher Training Workshops in Shoreham, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill in Sussex; and in Tonbridge and Dover in Kent.

“It’s great to be working with the Axis Foundation in Sussex and Kent… you are helping us to provide thousands of one-to-one lessons for children who otherwise may never learn to swim. After a year with the swimming pools shut, the children we support are excited to improve their swimming and to learn new skills both in the pool and out” – Ian Thwaites, CEO, Level Water

More about Level Water

Level Water, based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, supports children with disabilities to access a lifetime of sport, to develop physical skills, become socially included and build self-esteem and resilience. Specifically, Level Water provides specialist one-to-one swimming lessons for children aged 4-11 with physical or sensory disabilities. A qualified Level Two teacher delivers each lesson socially distanced.

Once they have learnt to swim, children can move to mainstream swimming lessons where Level Water teachers will carry on supporting them.

Therefore children with disabilities can continue to swim without barriers for the rest of their lives. And so they gain the long term benefits of mobility, raised self-esteem and greater resilience that swimming brings them too.

 More here

 

 

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Accessible platform with wheelchair users fishing BDAADisability

BDAA – 2nd donation

April 8, 2021By

Providing access for disabled people to joys of fishing

Disabled people are excluded from fishing by poor design, not their disability. Many mobility and visually-impaired people have difficulties even getting near the water’s edge. So, our donation of £3,450 to British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) will help fund the creation and installation of an approved, bespoke, accessible group fishing platform in the Midlands.

“The Trustees and I would like to offer a huge thank you for the generosity of the Axis Foundation. Your grant has allowed us to provide accessible fishing platforms ensuring disabled people will be safe when fishing. The accessible fishing platforms with safety features help individuals and groups like our successful Disabilities Schools or Heroes Veterans.

“Your grant has ensured that the public can see first-hand the commitment we place on design and accessibility allowing more disabled children to participate alongside non-disabled people helping bridge social divides. We could not do this without the generosity of the Axis Foundation” –  Terry Moseley, Founder, BDAA

More about accessible platforms for disabled people

An accessible fishing platform with stop-rails, hand rails and anti-slip strips allows disabled people safe access to the water and to the joys of fishing. Adapted fishing platforms have proved a huge hit with disabled anglers and fisheries. The group platforms, such as the one our donation will help fund, particularly benefit angling clubs, SEN schools or residential centres. In addition, an adapted platform has a long-lasting legacy and will benefit thousands of disabled people during its lifetime.

Benefits of angling and the BDAA

Angling helps improve the health and wellbeing of many disabled people. The sport encourages access to outdoor activities and, most importantly, offers the chance to socialise with others in the local community. As such, angling can change the lives of disabled people. And the British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) offers inclusive fishing opportunities to disabled people of all ages and disability. The charity provides adapted equipment, disabled platforms and access, services, information, support and practical advice on all issues encompassing angling.

Due to COVID-19, fishing became an even more popular activity leading to increased requests for BDAA support. So, in 2021, BDAA  is working with fisheries and angling venues to improve their disabled facilities making them more accessible, safer and practical so that more disabled adults and children can get involved and have enjoyable day out with a friend or family. There’s more about BDAA here.

The Axis Foundation has previously donated to BDAA’s Junior Schools Fishing Project. More here

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young boy on dry ski slope TAG adaptive snow sportsDisability

TAG – 2nd donation

April 8, 2021By

Providing adaptive snowsports for young people with disability

TAG Youth Club in west London aims to empower and optimise the potential of young people with disability. And TAG’s Adaptive Snowports programme offers disabled people the thrills and excitement of snowsports.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £4789 will help TAG purchase a Mountain Man Sit Ski, a transfer sling and a vacuum cushion for postural support for wheelchair users.

‘Thank you so much to everyone at Axis and to those involved in the Axis Foundation for the kind gift. This has enabled us to purchase the bi ski and postural supports which means that no one will be excluded from taking part in this exciting sport. Skiing does more than just provide the benefits of being more active: it also supports people with their mental health and social skills and increases sensory stimulation”
– Giles Hobart, Lead Youth Worker, TAG

Case study: A TAG parent says

“My son doesn’t excel at sports and has struggled taking part in physical activities due to his disabilities. He loves the sensory feeling of speed and the wind on his face, so giving him the opportunity to sit ski will help change his outlook in life by providing him with a sport that captures his personality.”

Adaptive snowsports for young people with disability

The 2018 Paralympic Winter Games was officially the most successful in Paralympics GB’s history: snowsports athletes brought home an incredible seven medals. Following their inspiration, many more organisations seek to provide adaptive snowsports (skiing and snowboarding) for people with disability.

More about TAG

TAG, based in West London, provides young people with a safe, accessible, well-equipped environment and the opportunity to participate in personal and social development activities including arts, drama, music and sport. Fully-qualified adapted skiing and snowboarding instructors from Disability Snowsports UK deliver the snowsports lessons for TAG. Read more about TAG here.

The Axis Foundation previously donated £5,000 to TAG to fund an interactive sensory system at the Youth Club – more here.

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Gardening for people with disabilityDisability

FarmAbility

April 8, 2021By

Transporting people with disabilities to beneficial farm-based tasks and outdoor activities

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £7,000 to FarmAbility will provide minibus, taxi or car transport for a year to ensure co-farmers (people with learning disabilities, many also with autism) can get to FarmAbility’s outreach partner farms, landed estates or gardens in a COVID-safe way.

Here co-farmers, many of whom are who are almost entirely excluded from workplaces and from employment, will engage in an outdoor, purposeful day sessions focusing on their needs and ability levels.

 “We know from our eight years’ experience that a regular weekly outdoor, active session involving practical, farm-based tasks has a lasting, positive impact on the mental and physical health of people with disabilities. So, a HUGE thank you to the Axis Foundation for the donation: it means a great amount to us – particularly during these challenging times. Working day-to-day with co-farmers and the team I know that being able to support the transport needs of co-farmers and staff will have a positive effect on our programme” – Jason Warner, Programme Manager, FarmAbility

More about FarmAbility

FarmAbility enables co-farmers (people with learning disabilities, many also with autism) to develop skills and competencies for purposeful living through participation in programmes on farms, estates and growing spaces. FarmAbility is based in Oxfordshire and runs programmes primarily from the Blenheim Estate in Woodstock and on a number of ‘outreach’ partner farms and growing spaces around the county. These include: FAI Farms (Wytham), Fair Close Community Farm (Wolvercote), FarmEd (Shipton-u-Wychwood) and Harcourt Arboretum.

FarmAbility’s programme is run by experienced, committed Programme Leaders who work with small groups of co-farmers with an approach that focuses more on ‘enabling’ than ‘supporting’ and which is informed by occupational therapy. They offer co-farmers a changing seasonal schedule of farm and gardening activities, guided by personal choice and individual needs, which includes activities such as vegetable gardening and orchard management, an organic egg enterprise, woodworking, basic animal husbandry, woodland work (coppicing, tree planting) and seasonal farm tasks.

More here 

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Fatory of Freedom Power ChairsDisability

Freedom Power Chairs

April 8, 2021By

Donation to Freedom Power Chairs funds bespoke power wheelchair for cerebral palsy sufferer

‘H’ is a 65-year-old man who is severely disabled through cerebral palsy. The Axis Foundation’s donation of £1,750 to Freedom Power Chairs will help the charity design and adapt a power chair to H’s near foetal position posture, with a joystick adapted for use by his foot. The chair will feature the supportive and contoured seating ‘H’ requires along with adapted footrests and controls.

With his new chair H can enjoy activities independently. The new power chair will also greatly help his carers who have to lift him from his bed to his chair.

“The Trustees of Freedom Powerchairs are most grateful to have received financial support from the Axis Foundation to enable us to provide a much-needed special powerchair for a client “H” with Cerebral Palsy. It now gives him the freedom to travel; to shop, meet friends, take his companion dog for a walk, and to get on buses to visit other charities where he is himself a volunteer” – Martin Osment, Founder and Trustee, Freedom Power Chairs

More about Freedom Power Chairs

Martin Osment, Freedom Power Chairs Founder and Trustee, is an experienced engineer. As a disabled person, his own lived experience showed that ‘off the peg’ wheelchair solutions were often not adequate, particularly for people with complex mobility issues. So, he used his skills and experience to design a powerchair which met his individual needs. From here he founded Freedom Power Chairs.

At the Sussex-based charity’s workshop, Freedom Power Chairs design produce and supply individually-tailored power wheelchairs at affordable prices. In addition, they adapt manual chairs, scooters and other mobility aids, provide a repair and maintenance service and modify existing chairs to meet the needs of individual clients. Their Community Support Mobile Workshop helps the wider community. They also provide a rental service. By using their recovered, refurbished and adapted stock Freedom Power Chairs provide custom built powerchairs at a fraction of the price of a new one. More here

 

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Adapted accessible toilet facilities for Danemead Scouts Camp SiteDisability

Danemead Scout Camp Site

April 1, 2021By

Our adapted toilet facilities increase accessibility to natural beauty spot and educational facilities

Danemead Scout Camp Site encourages young people and the community to enjoy outdoor recreation, providing training in practical life skills as part of their educational programme here. The site welcomes schools, colleges, youth groups, local community organisations. Indeed, over 3000 people stayed on the site in 2019.

And, so that even more people can stay and enjoy this 34-acre ancient, coppiced woodland of unspoilt beauty in Hertfordshire, the Axis Foundation donated £3,000 to Danemead Scout Camp Site to help convert an existing external toilet into a purpose-design disabled toilet and washroom.

“We will always be grateful to Axis Foundation for supporting and helping the funding of the installation of the disabled toilet facility.

“The refurbishment of the toilet room to a disabled facility sits firmly in the social model of disability as it allows the inclusion into the site and facilities of wheelchair users and other disabled persons, by the provision of accessible toilet and washing facilities. We are excited about increasing the use of the camp site for further and additional community organisations”  – Mike Hayward, Camp Site Secretary

More about the refurbishment

The toilet required expanding to provide low level toilet and wash basin. Works also included removing the existing waste and water connection piping and diverting the system and subsequent re-connection and the installation of new fixings, safety rails, alarm system, tiling and new anti-slip floor. In addition, an external ramp was constructed and the existing steel door aperture was widened for wheelchair access.

More about Danemead Scout Camp Site

Danemead Scout Camp Site welcomes schools, colleges, youth groups, local community organisations and is run solely by volunteers. In addition, the Camp Site undertakes environmental conservation work involving the preservation of trees, landscapes, wildlife and their habitats.

There’s more about Danemead Scout Camp Site here

 

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Little boy in goggles using assistive technology to communicateDisability

 Lifelites

March 9, 2021By

Donation to Lifelites provides assistive technology for children with life-limiting illnesses

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £5,000 to Lifelites will buy assistive and inclusive for technologies to help children with life-limiting illnesses who attend Demelza Hospice Care for Children, the Axis Foundation’s charity partner.

“Lifelites is incredibly grateful for the support of the Axis Foundation. The Covid-19 pandemic has really highlighted life-limited and disabled children using hospice services as some of the most vulnerable and isolated in our society.

“With this donation from the Axis Foundation, Lifelites will be able to provide life-changing technology so children at Demelza  are able to communicate, play, engage with the world around them and control something for themselves” – CEO Simone Enefer-Doy

Case Study – JJ’s Story

Eyegaze is just one example of Lifelites’ assistive and inclusive technologies. Here’s a first-hand report of how it helped one little boy.

“Before JJ was diagnosed with ALD, he was an able young boy, attending a mainstream school. Once diagnosed he slowly lost the ability to walk and talk. The Eyegaze works really well for JJ as a form of play and interaction. He enjoys using all the apps within the Eyegaze, allowing him to create art, and make different patterns on the screen, just by moving his eyes. It is a great way to socially interact with him.

“JJ enjoys making drum beats on the Eyegaze. This is fantastic as he is able to do it on his own, encouraging his independence, when normally he needs assistance with everything. JJ used to love playing the drums before he became unwell.” – Charlotte, JJ’s care assistant

Our donation to Lifelites will help them procure, install and maintain assistive technology like Eyegaze at Demelza, helping life-limited children as well as their siblings, parents and other family members.

More about Lifelites

Lifelites consults, pilots, procures, installs and supports and maintains bespoke packages of assistive technologies for every children’s hospice service in the British Isles.

They train care staff in its use and application on an on-going basis to ensure the equipment is in constant use for the children for whom every second counts. Lifelites has 60 projects across the British Isles.

Using the power of assistive and inclusive technology Lifelites aims to give every life-limited and disabled child using hospice services the opportunity to play, to communicate effectively, to take part in creative activities and to choose and control things for themselves.

Assistive technology enables life-limited children to communicate and interact with their well siblings as other children, to engage meaningfully with parents and carers and to remain engaged with their world for as long as possible.

There’s more about Lifelites here

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canoes and kayaks on river helping disabled young people enjoy paddlesportsDisability

Basingstoke and Deane Canoe Club

December 17, 2020By

We fund hoist to help disabled young people get in and out of canoes

Basingstoke and Deane Canoe Club, based on the Basingstoke Canal, provides safe paddlesport activities for disabled young people. Paddlesport activities include recreational kayaking and canoeing.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £2,000 helps buy them a mobile mechanical hoist. This will help paddlers with physical disabilities (in particular wheelchair users) to get on to the water. They can then take part in kayaking and canoeing activities on the canal.

“We are passionate about being able to provide kayaking and canoeing activities to people who would not otherwise be able to participate in paddlesports. The hoist will assist getting paddlers with impaired mobility in and out of kayaks and canoes” – Janella Mansell, Paddlesport Officer

The hoist will help young disabled people from Trealors College, a local school and college for disabled young people. Students currently have to use a swimming pool because of the height of the banks at the club house, Odiham Wharf, Colt Hill in Odiham, Hampshire.

The benefits of paddlesports include independence and better physical and mental wellbeing.

More about Basingstoke and Deane Canoe Club

Basingstoke and Deane Canoe Club is a charity run by volunteers.  The Club is affiliated to British Canoeing. Their specialist coaches are trained and experienced in kayaking with disabled people. They run courses throughout the year, regular taster sessions over the summer and have regular club nights. And, they reach out to their local community offering bespoke taster sessions to youth groups and other voluntary organisations.

More here 

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helping children with autism, child with headphones in front of screenDisability

Time4Autism

December 9, 2020By

Donation helps children with autism improve their motor and cognitive abilities

Time4Autism is run by parents and volunteers to provide activities for children with autism. These activities, which include yoga, drumming and trampoline, help children develop their motor and cognitive abilities.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £600 buys a Soundsory headset. This is a multi-sensory programme of music (processed with neuro-acoustic modifications) and movement-based exercises, designed to help children with autism improve their motor and cognitive abilities.

Time4Autism will lend the Soundsory system to families within their local community in Milton Keynes so they can help their children at home. This is especially vital when face to face sessions are impossible due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Thank you for the generous gift to Time4Autism! We are so happy to have your support. Through your donation, we can continue working towards supporting children with Autism. Your donation is going toward providing headsets for children with sound sensitivities and sensory problems. You have helped us to lend the system to families, so they can help their children at home. This is especially vital when face-to-face sessions are impossible due to COVID-19 restrictions. Thank you again!” – Jabeen Salam, Treasurer

More about Time4Autism

The charity helps parents and carers to understand their child’s sensory needs and behaviours and supports them in dealing with challenging behaviours.

The Soundsory programme which we have donated also helps children and adults with motor delays, balance and coordination issues, sensory and auditory processing disorders, ADD and ADHD as well as whose on the autism spectrum and with developmental issues.

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Group of children learning to develop key communication and motor skills at SkylarksDisability

Skylarks

September 14, 2020By

Helping disadvantaged children with disability gain vital skills

Skylarks provides a supportive and active community for children with disabilities and additional needs. The charity offers inclusive play sessions, therapies and workshops and structured activities. These include Sensory Art, Singing with Percussion, Makaton Sing and Signing. All these activities help the development of key communication, motor and sensory skills.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £1,500 buys sensory equipment and toys to support these structured activities.

“We are delighted to receive a donation from the Axis Foundation. It has enabled us to purchase new equipment for our interactive Sensory Room. The donation has funded new weighted soft furnishings and a range of audio visual equipment including fibre optic lights, colour changing light panels and more. The room creates a relaxing area for the children to use whilst allowing them to enjoy new experiences and develop communication, motor and sensory skills.

“With the support of organisations like the Axis Foundation, Skylarks can continue supporting disadvantaged children and their families for years to come.

“We really appreciate the funding Axis has provided to purchase this equipment. Skylarks closed for the last 6 months due to Covid-19. However we plan to partially re-open soon so more families can use the equipment you have enabled us to purchase” – Aaron Guiver, Development Manager at Skylarks

More about Skylarks

Whilst supporting disadvantaged children with disabilities, Skylarks, based in Twickenham in south west London, also cares for the whole family. The play sessions at Skylarks offer a safe and relaxing haven for the families in a non-judgemental environment. And while children are accessing therapies and supervised play, parents can access a wide range of peer support, relaxation therapies and informative workshops by specialists such as speech and language therapists and the National Autistic Society.

Over the last three years Skylarks has increased its membership from 550 to over 2,000 children.

Read more here 

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