Demelza

Marathon Mike

October 21, 2024By

Axis’ Michael MacGibbon runs Royal Parks Half Marathon for Demelza

Mike raised £680 plus £170 gift aid for our charity partner Demelza running the Royal Parks Half Marathon

Axis’ Mike MacGibbon, Senior Contract Manager, completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon in two hours, 23 minutes and 13 seconds raising funds for our charity partner Demelza. Mike told us: “This was the second time I have taken part in this half marathon; the last time was the very first event in 2008!

“The weather was ideal to be running around parts of London, taking in Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and many more. Only five miles of the 13.1 route is on the road, the remaining 8.1 miles snake around Hyde Park.

“I didn’t know just how big the park is and how beautiful it is with The Serpentine river, and the autumn leaves providing colour.

“Representatives from various charities were out along the route to encourage their runners.The Demelza Team was positioned at mile six and nine, so their support was very welcome.

“I would recommend this event to anyone, whether putting your running shoes on for the first time or a seasoned runner, as it is well organised, well supported by the crowds and takes in some famous landmarks of London.”

You can still support Mike by making a donation here.

Demelza’s 20 runners raised nearly £13,000. Well done to everyone who ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon for Demelza!

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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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Donations

The Garden Classroom

July 25, 2024By

Specialist equipment helps SEN kids re-connect with nature

The Garden Classroom (TGC) is a multi-award winning charity dedicated to reconnecting people with nature.

The Axis Foundation donated £2,008 to enable the Islington-based charity to purchase equipment for Hobbs Hill, their site for day trips and multi-night camping. Hobbs Hill (in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) is designed to offer urban children a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in nature.

“Your donation is going to make a huge difference to our facilities on camp, especially for those children with Special Educational Needs. Your support will help us provide inclusive and accessible access to enriching, life-changing experiences for nature-deprived children, with impact extending well beyond their enjoyment of the camp itself.

“Our aim is always to create a deep connection with nature that can resonate throughout the lives of those taking part: and we couldn’t do this without your help – thank you!” – Millie Darling, Director of Countryside Programmes

The Axis Foundation’s donation will benefit over 200 children and their teachers who visit the campsite each year. We enabled the charity to purchase SEN resources for an autistic safe space on the campsite and a 6-person hammock, both of which will help reduce sensory overload and provide a calm, relaxing environment.

The Foundation also provided funds for top-up tools (essential for hands-on activities like bushcraft and den building) and a tarpaulin to safely cover the fire circle and provide shade for eating and cooking.

There’s more about The Garden Classroom here

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Disability

Greengrow

July 25, 2024By

Accessible toilet for visitors with disability

Greengrow is a not-for profit, ecologically-run farm which produces food boxes for local households and grows food for a local food bank. They also offer enriching educational countryside experiences for urban children.

The charity was seeking funding for an accessible composting toilet for visitors with disability – and the Axis Foundation donated £5,000 to help them.

“We can’t thank you enough, this has made our week; it will make a huge difference to our organisation.This funding will allow us to reach out to more people who will benefit from our beautiful farm. It will be a real legacy project that will form part of our Care Farm hub.

“Thank you again so very much!” – Rozelle Bettesworth (Director)

Greengrow Farm currently has one composting toilet but it is not accessible for individuals with additional needs. The new accessible toilet for visitors with disability brings Greengrow a wider gain: Greengrow can offer more day placements for adults with learning disabilities and expand their offerings to schools so more visitors and come and learn about farming and growing food.

There’s more about Greengrow, a beautiful 34-acre mixed farm in the Waveney Valley, here

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Donations

Free to Be Kids

July 25, 2024By

Transformative mental health support via the outdoors

Free to Be Kids transforms the mental health of disadvantaged London children via outdoor experiences including the 5−day residential Thrive Outside project. Here children meet animals at the farm, build dens in the woods, cook together and camp under the stars. Most projects are based at Cudham Environmental Activities Centre in Kent, owned by Free to Be Kids’ charity partner the Woodcraft Folk.

Each year, Free to Be Kids runs 25 such residential breaks supporting around 400 children most of whom have never left their corner of London.

The Axis Foundation was delighted donate £7,993 to pay for the materials for a new storage facility at Cudham. This took the form of a weather-proof, insulated and secure storage shipping container.

“Simply put, without your support, we may not have been able to continue using Cudham. All of our project equipment (bedding, sports, cooking, outdoor activity equipment) had been stacked to the roof in a tiny storeroom which we were no longer able to use.

“We would need to reduce child place numbers by 30% annually, meaning c120 vulnerable children would have no access to transformative mental health support via the outdoors that we offer” – Mike Gee, Free to Be Kids CEO

And our Axis Apprentices install the storage container!

Axis’ apprentices cleared the land and laid the foundations for the shipping container, then weatherproofing it and connecting it to power. They fitted out the inside with shelving and waterproof crates for storage. And they also then fenced it in, to make sure the new storage facility was secure, and put in some attractive planting too.

More about Free to Be Kids

Winners of London Youth’s ‘Adventure Charity of the Year’ (2022) and ‘Outdoor Education’ (2019), Free to Be Kids supports children in Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Bromley who experience multi-factor harm, including parental addiction, neglect, abuse, poverty and homelessness, resulting in significant emotional/behavioral difficulties affecting mental health. There’s more about their work offering transformative mental health support via the outdoors here

And you can read more about the Cudham Centre on the Woodcraft Folk’s website here

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Disability

Ruby’s Fund

July 25, 2024By

New specialist hoist supports those with disability

After her daughter Ruby was born and diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder, Alison Parr identified a gap in support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families. So, she founded Ruby’s Fund. And now, this award-winning charity supports 2,000 families (including children and carers) each year in Cheshire East.

The Trustees of the Axis Foundation, recognising the excellent work of the charity, awarded Ruby’s Fund £4964.79 to cover the purchase and installation costs of a new tracking hoist in the disabled toilet at their centre.

“I was delighted to hear we have been awarded the grant to allow us to fit a hoist in our disabled bathroom. It will make such a difference to the families who require specialist support, such as hoisting, and we will proudly show them the hoist when it is installed. On behalf of Ruby’s Fund, the staff, volunteers and the families we support, thank you. We appreciate your generosity and kindness” –  Alison Parr, Founder, Operations and Impact Manager – and Ruby’s mum

More about Ruby’s Fund

Ruby’s Fund’s overall aim is to provide early help for families of young children with SEND to ensure they stay well and avoid reaching crisis point: to help them thrive, be happy and feel part of a bigger family. High quality facilities at Ruby’s Fund centre include a café, a sensory room with hoist, soft play area, siblings’ play room, a sensory garden and changing room with hoist. The centre benefited 6,000 visitors in 2023.

They also offer outreach sessions at partner venues and onboard their mobile sensory bus. The dedicated team offers person-centred support to disadvantaged and vulnerable children and families; improving their quality of life and wellbeing.

Feedback highlights

• 95% of parents said Ruby’s Fund has improved their overall sense of wellbeing
• 100% of parents felt ‘listened to’ by Ruby’s staff
• 66% of parents felt Ruby’s Fund support had prevented them seeking crisis support from their GP
• 93% of parents felt better informed on how to be a good parent carer
• 100% of parents would recommend Ruby’s  Fund support services to other parent carers.

There’s more about their work here

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Care

Down Syndrome Cheshire

July 25, 2024By

Supporting therapy sessions to empower those with Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome Cheshire is dedicated to empowering individuals with Down syndrome, helping them unlock their potential and live the lives they choose.

The Axis Foundation donated £3,000 to Down Syndrome Cheshire to purchase sensory and musical equipment for babies, children and families to use during therapeutic sessions. Therapy sessions are designed to enhance social, communication and educational skills.

“This is wonderful news! Thank you so much from everyone here at Down Syndrome Cheshire. This will make such a big difference to our small, local charity as we can purchase more sensory and music equipment, allowing us to run more therapy sessions for our members, especially over the summer holidays.

“Developing strong communication skills is so important for our members. We are delighted to have been awarded this grant, as it will significantly benefit our families and their children, particularly in developing communication skills and having lots of fun!” – Julie Duff, Chair

More about Down Syndrome Cheshire

The charity was established in in 2007 by a group of local mothers who all had babies with DS. It has grown to directly support over 350 children and adults with DS and their families, as well as informing education and health professionals and the wider community. Visit their website here for more information

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Disability

Help for Daisy and her Family

June 12, 2024By

New wetroom and bedroom will help Daisy’s independence –  and support her family too

Daisy is a 6-year-old child with profound disabilities. At three months old, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called KCNA1 which causes severe epilepsy, skeletal issues, global development delay and emotional issues. Additionally, she needs to be ventilated via a tracheostomy 24/7.

The Axis Foundation was delighted to contribute £2,223.45 towards creating a downstairs bedroom and wet room to help Daisy to live safely and with greater independence at home.

Thanking the Foundation her mother, Fiona, said: “Thank you so much for the good news!”

Explaining the difference a downstairs bedroom and wetroom will make for Daisy, Fiona continued: “Daisy will be able to spend more time with her family instead of being confined to her upstairs bedroom where she needs humidified ventilation to make it easier for her to breathe when she is poorly.

“As Daisy is getting older it is making it harder to carry her up the stairs. We looked at installing a through floor lift but unfortunately Daisy’s bedroom is not big enough to allow this – and as she gets older she needs a bigger bed.

“We are extremely positive as a family and focus on the things we can do rather than the things we cannot do. Daisy’s story is a whirlwind from the day she became poorly to where we are at right now.”

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