little boy with fair hair in white tee shirtCare

Helping a Little Boy with Rare Genetic Disorder

January 31, 2024By

Donation buys a sensory room to help Toby, a little boy with rare genetic disorder

Six-year-old Toby Conway has an incredibly rare genetic disorder called De Novo ZNF 292 syndrome. It is so rare, his doctors and consultants have never previously encountered a patient with this diagnosis. And Toby’s parents are unable to find any other parents in a similar situation to share their experiences.

Toby has autistic traits, speech delay and extreme hyper mobility, His abnormal brain structure primarily affects his short-term memory (so he has some educational challenges). He is physically weak and has a high risk of epilepsy.

Despite all his challenges, Toby embraces mainstream education and loves his school. His parents told us:

“Every day, he runs into school with a huge smile on his face; it’s priceless. He is honestly the most polite, infectious and caring little boy. He is a pleasure to be around for both adults and other children. His school is amazing, and we’re hugely grateful for their support.”

The Axis Foundation Trustees awarded Toby’s school (Northgate Primary School Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire) £10,000 to create a sensory room. This will not only help Toby’s sensory processing disorder but will also benefit the 100 neuro-diverse pupils at the school.

Thanking the Foundation, Toby’s father Mark Conway said: “This donation will make such a huge difference to Toby and all other pupils at his school, both neurodiverse and neurotypical. His school do an amazing job with limited resources, and their new sensory room will create a safe space for the kids that will be invaluable. Thank you so, so much.”

READ MORE
a mother and father with babydisadvantaged

Little Stars

January 31, 2024By

Providing essential baby items for disadvantaged, vulnerable families

Little Stars provides quality essentials for babies, children and pregnant women. And so they alleviate stress and financial pressures for disadvantaged, vulnerable families in Shropshire.

The Axis Foundation donated £3,175 to Little Stars’ Community Hubs Project. This donation will purchase 12 months supplies of nappies, wipes and baby toiletries.

“To receive this amazing amount of money from Axis foundation has ensured we can continue our Community Hub work, providing families with the essentials they need for their children.

“Our hub work is extremely important because we are out in the communities that are in need of this support. The money will enable us to expand our hubs as we now have the funds to be able to deliver the basic essentials that babies and young children really need. Thank you to the board for providing us with this grant” – Leanne Simcoe Founder and CEO

Update from Little Stars 2025

On behalf of Little Stars, we would like to thank you for the grant you awarded us in 2024. Your grant enabled us to respond to the growing impact of hygiene and period poverty by providing 1,378 children and adults essential toiletries including nappies and wipes.

This was a significant increase compared to the previous year where we helped 587 children and adults with these items.

Without this grant, our capacity to support the increasing number of children and families relying on our services would have been severely restricted. Thank you, from all the team at Little Stars” – Leanne Simcoe Founder and CEO

More on the Community Hubs Project

Little Stars created their Community Hubs Project in response to the growing demand for their services. There are currently four Little Stars community hubs, working with Early Help teams and local food banks, where families can access essential items

More about Little Stars

Little Stars helps the 26% of children living in poverty across Shropshire (research from End Child Poverty). They help disadvantaged families through their baby bank, community hubs and school uniform services. They provide quality pre-loved bundles, donated by the local community, supplemented by new equipment and basic provisions. Little Stars works across their community in partnership with midwives, social workers, early help teams, schools, food banks, and domestic abuse charities. They have, to date, supported over 1,000 referred beneficiaries.

There’s more here www.littlestarscharity.org

READ MORE
Woman reading to two infants from a bookCare

Hug-a-Bug World (HBW)

January 31, 2024By

Positive emotional wellbeing for young people

Positive, relatable storylines in books; “I am Unique, “I am Brave” and “I Can Do It” affirmation hearts and tactile toys: these all help the emotional development of Hug-a-Bug World’s Early Years and young children. Setting the tone are adorable bugs Sedric Snail, Bella Bee and friends who support one another and learn as they go.

The Axis Foundation donated £15,000 to HBW to provide books, affirmation hearts and toys. And we will be working with them to reach children and families in areas where Axis, our parent property services company, works.

“At a time where Mental Health challenges in our younger generations is finally getting some attention in the media, we at HBW are forever grateful to the Axis Foundation for making it possible for us to engage with thousands of children, through their generous donation” – Julia Keys, Founder

More about Hug-a-Bug World

The HBW programme promotes positive emotional wellbeing for young people. This is proven to have a beneficial effect on academic focus, building good relationships, and development of empathy and understanding of each other and the natural world.

Hug-a-Bug World is currently working with 30 schools in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in London. They have also worked closely with the Holiday Activity Fund (HAF) programme in multiple UK locations. All children (10,000 +) take home a storybook, a Hug-a-Bug heart and activity sheets. They demonstrably increase their self-confidence, empathy, self-worth, resilience, and acceptance of themselves.

The Chairman of the Axis Foundation Trustees, Peter Varney, was very impressed by the good feedback from Birmingham HAF. So he engaged Hug-a-Bug World to deliver their HAF programme via Millwalls’ Community Fund – with similarly successful results.

See more about Hug-a-Bug’s amazing work here

READ MORE
Disability

Disabled Sailors Association (DSA)

January 30, 2024By

Spirit of Axis brings joy to disabled people

Our donation of £10,000 helps Disabled Sailors Association (DSA) purchase new state-of-the-art dinghy. And she is named after us!

The Axis Foundation is very proud of Spirit of Axis. She was launched in 2024 and joins the fleet of unique craft that have been specially adapted by DSA so that disabled people can experience the joys of sailing.

“We are very grateful to the Axis Foundation for their very generous grant, enabling us to build another innovative dinghy to replace and increase our fleet. Thanks to the generosity of charitable foundations like the Axis Foundation we have now funded seventeen new dinghies that cannot capsize or sink, due to their unique foam-filled hulls” – Mike Wood MBE, Chairman and Founder

More about Disabled Sailors Association

Unique in the sailing world the Disabled Sailors Association (DSA) helps disabled people enjoy the benefits of sailing in a unique fleet of specially-designed yachts and dinghies. 25 years of research and development have enabled them to innovate a state-of-the-art dinghy design, which caters for all disabilities and is equally appealing to able-bodied carers and family members.

Over 40,000 people have sailed the yachts since the charity was founded in 1993. So the DSA needs to replace craft to maintain safety compliance and increase their fleet so even more disabled people can enjoy the sport of sailing from Port Solent Marina Office, Lock Approach, Portsmouth.

There is more about DSA here.

READ MORE
Group of people holding bags at St AmbroseCommunity

St Ambrose Barlow Church

January 30, 2024By

Providing warmth and comfort

The Café at St Ambrose Barlow Church provides a safe and warm space for local people. Here they can enjoy complimentary meals and refreshment, a sense of community and belonging, as well as crafts and activities.

The Axis Foundation donated £1,000 so that Saint Ambrose Barlow Church could purchase 60 Warm Packs to keep their guests keep warm this winter (2023).

“The grant from the Axis Foundation has allowed us to provide 60 warm packs in the space of two weeks to all in our community who asked for one. From young families, to people who lived on their own and the elderly, everyone went home thrilled with their bag of goodies – a cosy warm blanket, a hot water bottle, a travel cup, a hat, scarf and gloves so they would be warm in and outside of the home!” – Hayley Haughton, Community Engagement and Support Worker

“I was thrilled to get my warm pack, I am going to use the hot water bottle and travel cup together so i only boil the kettle once to save money and energy and then snuggle down in my blanket with my knitting!” – Recipient

More about the café at St Ambrose Barlow Church

The community café at St Ambrose Barlow Church is a lifeline for some people who have fallen through the cracks of the social welfare system; are struggling with the cost of living crisis or who are seeking a safe space to meet others and combat isolation. Located in the Parish Hall, the Community Café aims to reduce the impact of poverty and to help their guests maximise their income. They provide complimentary meals, activities and signposting for additional support to over 50 people a week and also recently distributed warm packs to 30 families.

There’s more here

READ MORE
Donations

Adult Training Network

January 29, 2024By

Resourcing Digital Learning for disadvantaged people

Adult Training Network (ATN) provides education, training and employability skills to disadvantaged people.

The Axis Foundation donated £2,500 so ATN could purchase an interactive whiteboard to facilitate digital learning at their Training Centre in Southall, west London.

“The integration of the smart board in the classroom was very impressive. Not only did the use of this interactive technology keep the students engaged but … learners were evidently more focussed, thanks to the visually appealing content that was presented to them in an engaging way.

“It has changed the traditional lesson and made it more participatory and fun.

“Overall, the interactive white board been very useful, both for tutors and students, who have been very excited about the new method of learning. This innovative approach to teaching has set a high standard for interactive pedagogy” – Sarjeet Singh Gill, Managing Director (from Impact Report provided to the Trustees of the Axis Foundation)

More about ATN

Adult Training Network Limited was founded in 1999 to help the most disadvantaged members of the community access mainstream education. Many are referred to the charity by their local Job Centre.

The charity unlocks marginalised learners’ potential for employment and social connection through education, training, employability support and links to job opportunities. They offer a wide range of in-person and online accredited courses as well as vocational qualifications and apprenticeships.

ATN’s BAME, migrant and refugee learners (many of whom have South-Asian backgrounds and/or are from Syria or Ukraine) hail from highly deprived wards and have low English, literacy and numeracy levels.

There’s more here

READ MORE
Man wearing hat and glasses holding a Victoria sponge cakedisadvantaged

Cherry Orchard Garden Services (COGS)

January 19, 2024By

COGS’ Grow-Cook-Eat project helps adults with learning disabilities gain skills and independence

The Axis Foundation donated £1,000 to help COGS purchase ingredients for their Grow-Cook-Eat project. The programme teaches learners how to cook simple, easy meals that they can replicate at home. They can use fruit and vegetables they have grown on-site at COGS. These make a healthy alternative to microwaved ready meals. Learning how to cook and eat healthily brings many long-term benefits to learners – and their carers and families too. We estimate that around 17 people on this programme will benefit directly from our donation.

“We are so grateful to The Axis Foundation for generously donating towards our Grow-Cook-Eat project. Cooking is one of the most valuable skills our service users can learn. By helping us purchase additional ingredients to enhance their home-grown fruit and vegetables, the Axis Foundation is contributing to many life-changing outcomes. It enables our service users to learn a whole spectrum of skills which all contribute to them living an independent lifestyle as they grow themselves. Thank you!” –  Beckie Flynn, Treasurer

Two service tell us how Grow-Cook-Eat project benefits them!

“It helps me because I can now make my own sandwiches, go into a shop and recognise ingredients and have new ideas to try to do myself at home’”- Tom

“It has helped by teaching me new things to cook. It teaches me to cook on my own and grow some vegetables I can make into meals” – George

More about COGS

COGS Prepares 4 Life CIO provides day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, autism and other complex needs in Burntwood, Staffordshire, and surrounding areas. Through gardening, cooking, woodwork, travel training and basic education, COGS’ members gain new skills, find friendships and embrace the confidence and independence needed for everyday life. There’s more about COGS here

READ MORE
disadvantaged

Strength & Learning Through Horses

December 20, 2023By

Helping children in crisis to a positive future

Strength & Learning Through Horses helps young people in mental health crisis turn their lives around.

The Axis Foundation awarded Strength & Learning Through Horses a grant of £12,000 to purchase a modular building to help them continue their services – whatever the weather.

“We are very grateful for your recent incredibly generous donation of £12,000 … Thanks to your donation, we will be able to purchase a modular building in which to teach our therapy sessions. These sessions help young people in mental health crisis to begin to turn their lives around and move towards a positive future. Thanks to your support we will be able to help more of these young people access our life-changing service” – Dr Hockley and Rosie Bensley, Founders and Joint CEOs

More about Strength & Learning Through Horses

Strength & Learning Through Horses is London’s largest equine-assisted therapy and education charity currently supporting 400-450 young people in crisis per year. Many children have experienced significant trauma and neglect and are either excluded from mainstream education or considered at risk of exclusion.

The charity uses the natural ability of horses to read and respond to human emotions to engage young people in the process of learning about their own behaviours and emotions.

More here

READ MORE
Care

Strongbones Children’s Charitable Trust

December 20, 2023By

Winter warmth for vulnerable children with bone conditions

Strongbones Children’s Charitable Trust helps children with severe disabilities/complex needs coupled with bone conditions such as scoliosis, bone cancer and spina bifida.

Each winter, many Strongbones children are hospitalised due to hypothermia, pneumonia, respiratory disease and Covid. Many children are from families in poverty. And fuel poverty adds to the severity of this problem.

The Axis Foundation’s winter 2023 donation of £5,600 buys 40 Winter Warmer packs to help the charity keep their children warm. Each pack consists of a penguin fleece blanket, an oddie wearable blanket, a pair of warmies soft boots and a warmies penguin handwarmer.

“This is wonderful news!! Thanks to all the trustees for agreeing to this incredibly generous grant. We have many children who will hugely benefit from these lifesaving packs” – April Fitzmaurice, Manager

More about Strongbones

Strongbones supports over 1,000 families of vulnerable children in Essex. They work to decrease social isolation and increase inclusion through supplying disability/educational equipment and providing educational opportunities. The charity also provides practical and emotional support to parents and carers, respite breaks, group residentials and accessible sports.

There’s more about their work here

 

READ MORE
Disability

Mobility for Little Kit

December 20, 2023By

Accessibility and mobility for little boy in wheelchair

Kit was an able child until he was 18 months old in 2021, when he suffered a 2-hour long seizure. This caused significant brain damage and visual impairment. Kit is now five. He cannot walk, talk or crawl and needs constant care and hoisting.

Kit’s family have struggled to pay the cost of adapting their home: they plan to build an extension with fully hoisted bedroom, bathroom and storage area.

They needed to build an access path and ramp as part of these adaptations – and also so that Kit can use his motobility vehicle. The Trustees of the Axis Foundation were delighted to help the family. And so the Axis Foundation’s first donation of £7,000 created an accessibility ramp for the family home.

“We’re so grateful, you have no idea what this will do for our family (especially Kit!). We’re desperate to keep our son at home with us: but without the path we’re not allowed the extension and without the extension he will not be allowed to live with us (in the future). We want to give him the best life we can” – Katherine, Kit’s mother

The story continues

The Trustees, agreed to a further donation in 2025 of £3,000 to purchase a special hydraulic bath for Kit.

His mother Katherine explains the benefits: “The bath with water in can rise up so we can stand comfortably and bath him. Currently we have to lift him, and stand over a normal bath, which is very bad for our backs! It has extras including hot air jets, underwater speakers and lights. This is to make a bath a sensory experience for Kit. He can’t enjoy a lot of the world. He either can’t see it, or can’t understand it (such as watching football match or TV).

Again, the grant is life changing for all of us. It provides safety and basic care needs for Kit, as well as an incredible immersive sensory experience. Then it makes caring for him safe and easier for us, as it has a built in changing mat.”

You can support Kit here

 

READ MORE