disadvantaged

Glossopdale Furniture Project

December 12, 2024By

Home comfort for homeless

Glossopdale Furniture Project supplies donated items of furniture and household goods to people who have been homeless.

The Axis Foundation was delighted to support the Derbyshire-based charity with a donation of £7,500 to purchase furniture packs.

“I am writing to thank you so much for your kind donation of £7,500 to support families by way of a free furniture pack.This grant will be of enormous help. Please pass on our thanks to your Trustees for all their support to the Glossopdale Furniture Project” – Joan Cook, Volunteer Fundraiser

More about Glossopdale Furniture Company

Glossopdale Furniture Project supplies donated items of furniture and household goods to people who have been homeless (who have been given a new but empty tenancy) and people on low incomes. In addition, Glossopdale Furniture collects 100 tonnes of good useable furniture every year, which would otherwise go to landfill. They have a workshop where volunteers restore old furniture and make new items from recycled wood which are then sold to the public.

There’s more about their work here

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Disability

Camp Jojo

December 12, 2024By

Camping freedom for children with disability

Camp Jojo helps children with complex needs and disabilities – many have life limiting conditions or reduced life expectancy – to enjoy a totally accessible, family-centred camping experience

The Axis Foundation was delighted to donate £5800 to Camp Jojo so they could buy two Alaska Size 1 tents.

With these specialist tents, Essex-based Camp Jojo can safely accommodate children with the most complex needs who need hoisting for moving and handling, and their families.

“At Camp Jojo, our motto is ‘everyone can’. Our visitors realise their potential through experiences they may have never previously thought possible. I can’t thank the Axis Foundation and your Trustees enough – you’ve made my weekend! This will mean so much to our families” – Helen Davies, Camp Jojo Fundraiser

Camp Jojo Patron Sally Philips (Alan Partridge, Bridget Jones, Smack the Pony, Green Wing, and Miranda) says: “Going on holiday with children who have additional needs is a challenge at the best of times. How wonderful it is that Camp Jojo has made it possible for families of children with complex needs to get away and enjoy a traditional, family,camping holiday singing around the campfire, sleeping in tents, getting muddy, toasting marshmallows and eating baked beans.”

There’s more about Camp Jojo here

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Disability

Red Eagle Foundation – Lyla

December 12, 2024By

Mobility and independence for child with rare genetic condition

Our donation to Red Eagle Foundation helps buy a specialist walker for Lyla

Lyla Treeby is two years and has a rare genetic condition which affects her muscle tone in all four limbs and trunk. She is impaired visually and unable to sit or roll by herself.

Lyla enjoys movements and is keen to explore, using her arms and legs when supported. Red Eagle want her to enjoy these movements in a safe way. And so they trialled her in a supportive walker called My Way from Leckey. This walker supported her well in her trunk and allowed her to use her legs better for moving around with assistance.

The Axis Foundation was delighted to support Red Eagle’s application with a donation of £2910 to the Red Eagle Foundation to help buy a Lecky My Way walker for Lyla.

“This is a fantastic piece of equipment for Lyla as she can explore her space in a safe way and overcome her motor and visual disability. Lyla’s parents and I are very grateful to the Axis Foundation for their support. This equipment will be well used at home giving Lyla the independence to move around without being held all the time” – Dominic Comins, CEO

More about The Red Eagle Foundation

The Red Eagle Foundation empowers disadvantaged children and grants wishes to children with life-limiting illnesses. The Axis Foundation has previously supported Red Eagle Foundation and helped to buy an electric wheelchair and all-terrain buggy for Arthur, a young boy with severe learning disabilities and complex health needs.

There’s more about their work here 

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disadvantaged

Dodford Children’s Farm

December 12, 2024By

Bringing the joys of interacting with animals to city children

At Dodford Children’s Farm, disadvantaged inner-city children from Birmingham and the West Midlands benefit from interacting with all the animals here.

Interacting with animals – as well as freedom, fresh air and green spaces in nine acres of woodland and meadows – is proven to be particularly valuable to children from homes where keeping a pet is not an option.

The Axis Foundation was delighted to support Dodford Children’s Farm with their application for funding.

We donated £3,000 to improve and refurbish (refencing, returfing and repaving) a small animal enclosure and the provision of new accommodation for their rabbits and guinea pigs.

“Young visitors really enjoy spending time with the rabbits and guinea pigs and it will be lovely to give the animals a nicer environment and the children better access to them, thanks to help from Axis Foundation. Interacting with these animals forms an important part of the children’s visit to the farm” – Judith Williams, Chair of the Management Committee

There’s more here

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disadvantaged

The Magpie Project

December 12, 2024By

Helping women and children living in temporary accommodation in Newham

The Magpie Project supports women and children who are living in temporary or insecure accommodation in Newham and surrounding boroughs.

The Axis Foundation was delighted to make a donation of £5,000 with which The Magpie Project will buy beautiful, high-quality, well-crafted play equipment and creative items to furnish their new play space. Here mums and children play, make friends and build social connections, and access practical support.

Vera O Driscoll in our Community team suggested that The Magpie Project’s CEO and Founder Jane Williams apply to the Foundation.

And our Trustees were delighted to support this application and to help an excellent cause local to our parent company’s HQ in Stratford.

“Such beautiful wooden nursery furniture has been arriving for inside and outside play. We are thrilled. This is the first time we have ordered specific nursery sized equipment as we have only had donated toys previously.

“The wooden table for 1-2 year olds is the perfect height for our minis. I have noticed how popular the new table is and how long minis have been sitting here doing focused tasks like playdough and drawing. The chairs are lovely and really great for minis’ posture and balance.

“The climbing frame and grassy stepping stones have provided the perfect amount of risk and excitement. Many of our minis live in hotels and spend the majority of their day on beds entertained by phones, so this physical play is hugely important.

“The children have loved the big sandpits, and it’s been interesting to support the mums who have not experienced sand play to try it. And the sensory toys have provided a wonderful focus, and the babies loved playing in the dark”- Magpie Play Lead Play Lead, Hannah

 

There’s more about The Magpie Project here http://www.themagpieproject.org

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Care

Goalball

December 12, 2024By

Sport Support for partially-sighted or blind children

Goalball is a sport specifically designed for blind and partially-sighted children and young people

Our donation of £5,000 will purchase football equipment for Goalball UK’s schools’ programme which aims to deliver goalball sessions to schools across the UK.

“This grant will allow us to support more children and young people who are blind or partially sighted to participate in sport and physical activity. It is well documented that this will also help with mental health.

”We are very grateful to the Axis Foundation who are supporting our mission for Goalball to empower people to live and play an active part in an inclusive society” –  Mark Winder, Chief Executive Officer at Goalball UK

Children and young people who are blind or partially sighted do not generally receive high quality PE at their schools. And Goalball UK aims to provide transformational opportunities so that they can now experience the challenge and joy of team-based sport.

There’s more about Goalball UK here

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Community

Swale Community Care Project

July 25, 2024By

Helping relieve poverty and financial hardship

Swale Community Care Project helps relieve poverty and financial hardship in the Swale area, as well as supporting local elderly people.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £4,615 will be used to purchase kitchen equipment for their new community cafe. The cafe will provide a safe warm space where those in need can find company, food and clothing as well as information about services and service providers.

“Many thanks for the amazing news. We are grateful for the Axis Foundation’s support. The kitchen equipment is the heart of the cafe and our community services. The equipment will make a massive difference to the physical and mental health of our service users.

“With your help, we hope to create a collaborative space that becomes an integral part of the community to enable a warm meal, rest bite, warmth and a smile / laugh in a safe space” – Daniel Marsh, Trustee

The kitchen equipment to be purchased with our donation includes: a commercial microwave and toaster, an auto-fill water boiler and filter, a fridge, a freezer, dishwasher, air fryers and other fixtures.

Update from Swale Community Care Project 2025

“We wanted to say a big thank you for the opportunity and faith in our small local charity that has made a significant impact in supporting us open and continue to provide a range of services to those in need.

Whilst most [of the grant] was allocated to key kitchen equipment it has enabled us to provide an affordable menu, pay it forward free meals and daily free use of our community fridge and freezer.

Since our opening in October 2024 we have served 899 hot meals and 1408 hot drinks (excluding cold lunches and snacks). The community fridge and freezer are used daily by locals accessing donated food. Your support has enabled us to host sessions for Age UK, Dementia support, wellbeing counselling, MIND workshops, money matters sessions, Sateda Domestic Abuse meetings, Foster Carer support, Sittingbourne & Sheerness Helping Ukraine group sessions and many others.

All would not have been possible without support from organisations such as yours. So thank you again for investing in and supporting your local community.”

More about Swale Community Care Project

There’s more about the work of this new charity, Swale Community Care Project, here

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Disability

The Abbey School

July 25, 2024By

17-seater minibus makes trips and treats accessible for wheelchair users

The Abbey School is a strong and vibrant special school with places for students who have learning difficulties and additional needs. The school also welcomes children with physical disabilities – and now has 12 wheelchair users.

The Axis Foundation donated £10,000 to help the charity (The Abbey School Farnham Trust) purchase a 17-seater wheelchair-accessible minibus so that Abbey School pupils can go swimming, to the gym, to local nature reserves and on summer school trips.

“On behalf of all the pupils and staff at The Abbey School thank you for the pledge of £10,000 towards our new minibus. We are really grateful to you all for deciding to help us with this very generous offer.

“A wheelchair-accessible bus will make activities available to all our pupils regardless of their disability and will help increase their independence as they grow older and leave Abbey for further education, supported employment or work experience” –  David Jackson, Head Teacher

There’s more about Surrey-based Abbey School here

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Donations

Make Them Smile

July 25, 2024By

Specialist equipment for SEN school

Make Them Smile supports children who have a wide range illnesses, some terminal, as well as those who are deaf, blind or underprivileged/ poverty-stricken.

The Axis Foundation donated £4,259 to help Make Them Smile purchase specialist equipment for Priory School, an SEN school for boys and girls with severe learning difficulties and autism.

“Thank you for informing me that the Axis Foundation has awarded Make Them Smile a significant grant for five rocking chairs, sensory equipment, gardening tools, and 10 IPads for Priory School in Upper Norwood. The school was absolutely delighted to hear this.

“Having personally visited Priory and several other SEN schools we’ve assisted, I know firsthand how they teach, and the impact these items will have on the school and its children.

“Once again a great big thank you to all at The Axis Foundation from Priory School, their teachers, 139 pupils, and all at Make Them Smile” –  Robert Adams, Make Them Smile’s Grant Officer

The Foundation’s donation purchased:

  • 5 Zuma BraceRock chairs (which help children to stay alert and pay attention)
  • Sensory equipment (to help children with their visual, auditory, and tactile processing, as well as fine and gross motor skills)
  • Gardening implements (so more pupils can enjoy the school’s outside gardening area)
  • Ipads which be used by the school’s speech and language therapists.

“We are delighted, especially about having the Ipads now, as we desperately need them. It will make a huge difference for the children here. Would you also forward our deepest gratitude to the Axis Foundation for this wonderful gesture?” – Ms Wendt, Occupational Therapist, the Priory School

More about Make Them Smile here

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Disability

Park Lane Stables

July 25, 2024By

Bringing the benefits of riding to more people with disability

Park Lane Stables is an award-winning Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) centre enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities or learning difficulties.

The Axis Foundation donated £2,754 to purchase two specialist saddles so that more people can reap the undeniable benefits of riding with the team at Park Lane Stables.

“Thank you so much for approving a grant for our charity. We are incredibly grateful. The grant will enable us to provide group sessions for those with the most complex needs.

“At present, we only have one specialist saddle, so we have to take the most complex people one at a time. Your grant will enable to increase participation. We also remember that the saddle also provides comfort for the horse which is just as important part of the partnership” – Natalie O’Rourke (Manager)

More about Park Lane Stables

Park Lane Stables operates over 6,000 individual riding sessions for young people with disabilities every year. Activities include assisted riding, horse care, carriage driving, equine therapy and hippotherapy.

The benefits, as the parents of young riders report, include improvements to physical/core strength; social and communication skills; mental health and wellbeing; behaviour and relationships and confidence and resilience.

The majority of staff here are registered as disabled and most have been previous clients of the charity, now finding meaningful employment within the centre.

Here’s more about the charity which is based in Richmond, Surrey.

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