Shooting Star nurse on home visits to families caring for a life-limited childCare

Shooting Star Chase

May 12, 2014By

Home visits to families caring for a life-limited child

Shooting Star Chase‘s ‘Hospice at Home’ scheme brings care to children approaching the end of their life in their own homes. The sick children are in familiar surroundings, with their family and their own home comforts. The service brings the same medical, nursing and therapeutic care as the hospices offer. The scheme gives families the chance to relax a little and do chores around the house or even go out, knowing that their child is in the best care.

To support this vital service, the Axis Foundation donated a total of £2,508 (£1,140 in 2013, £1,368 in 2014) which funded over 20 home visits to families caring for a life-limited child.

 “We now have one of the largest Hospice at Home teams in the country. We recorded an average of 250 home visits to families caring for a life-limited child per month. Yet, this is only made possible through the wonderful support from organisations like the Axis Foundation. Thank you.” –  Brian Gallagher, Shooting Star Chase

“Care is constantly changing and we need to be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the families we support. The Hospice at Home team plays a vital role allowing parents to be Mum and Dad, not just care givers. We’ll continue to develop the service so that the children and families we support can have the care they so desperately need in the location of their choice. We are very grateful for the donation from The Axis Foundation” – Elaine Conisbee, Interim Director of Care

What the families say

“When things become too much, and you really can’t see a way out of the dark hole you are in, the hospice proves that someone else really does care.”

“The Hospice at Home service is amazing. I feel like I’ve been on a mini-holiday, recharging my batteries and putting me in very good spirits.”

More About Shooting Star Chase

Shooting Star Children’s Hospice and CHASE Hospice for Children merged together to form Shooting Star Chase and to care for over 600 families living all across western London, Surrey and West Sussex who have a child or teenager not expected to reach their nineteenth birthday.

 

READ MORE
Sign outside Charlton Athletic's stadiumDonations

Charlton Athletic Community Trust

May 4, 2014By

Powerful partnerships helps children in deprived areas

The Axis Foundation has donated £85,000 towards Charlton Athletic Community Trust over four years, helping to provide opportunities for young people in deprived communities. The Axis Foundation and Charlton Athletic Community Trust’s (CACT) partnership began in 2010 and collaborated to support thousands of young people over four years.

More About CACT

CACT is a community programme led by Charlton Athletic Football Club that engages with thousands of people across London and Kent. The trust delivers a football development programme for young people from toddlers to aspiring professionals. On top of this, they support those who are disadvantaged with health improvement, employment, crime prevention and educational programmes.

“The achievements of the Trust and their staff are outstanding, they’ve chosen a sport that breaks down barriers and applied their skills and experience to the maximum benefit of the deprived and those in need of help.” John Hayes, Founder of the Axis Foundation.

Close Connections

The Axis Foundation has always had a close connection with Charlton Athletic. The foundation’s founder, John Hayes, is a Charlton fan, and Alan Curbishley, a Charlton legend, is the foundation’s patron. In 2011, the Axis Foundation became a patron of the Charlton Challenge Award Scheme and CACT’s estate-based coaching sessions. Over four years, we donated a total of £85,000 to the trust, helping them to support some of the most deprived communities in South East London and Kent.

Footballer greets charlton upbeats players from charlton athletic community trust

“John and the Axis Foundation has been a long-standing supporter of the Trust. He has been involved with the estate-based sessions and the Charlton Challenge for the past five years; becoming a Patron of these strands cements his support and belief in the Trust’s work.” Jason Morgan, Chief Executive of the Charlton Trust.

The Charlton Challenge

The Charlton Challenge is a scheme, led by FA qualified coaches, that aims to develop children’s core football skills. The course is delivered in sports centres across five London boroughs and is attended by over 1,000 boys and girls every week, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Estate Based Coaching

The Axis Foundation was the sole sponsor and patron of CACT’s Estate Based Coaching. The social inclusion programme runs a variety of sporting activities in deprived communities to 2,000 children every week. This includes leagues and coaching sessions in: football, basketball, dance, self-defence, boxing and fishing. The scheme provides a pathway for youngsters, such as 21-year-old Jonathan, to pursue their ambitions. CACT’s mentorship helped him to gain his first FA Football Coaching qualification:

“The FA Level 1 has helped me with my confidence to teach others what I have learnt. It was a very good experience and a challenge to teach people with different abilities. I just want to thank the Charlton Athletic Community Trust and the Axis Foundation for giving me such a great opportunity to pursue coaching.” Jonathan Peters, Beneficiary of Charlton Athletic Community Trust

READ MORE
Axis Foundation Trustees and Demelza staff group together outside Demelza office.Demelza

Demelza Patron DJ Dave Berry accepts £48,000 for Demelza

November 15, 2013By

Capital FM DJ and Demelza Ambassador Dave Berry accepts a cheque for £48,000 for Demelza from the Axis Foundation.

“This is a phenomenal amount to have raised and will provide invaluable support to the children and families Demelza looks after. Axis clearly has some extremely committed and generous people working within it, and it is to them I would like to express my deepest thanks,” he said.

We presented the cheque to Dave at a ceremony at Demelza’s offices in Sittingbourne in 2013. As he is local to where our charity partner Demelza lives and works, including the Eltham hospice, Dave has seen first hand much of Demelza’s precious work with sick children and their familes. He and fellow patrons – including Daniel Radcliffe, Jayne Torville and Gary Lineker – are as committed as we are to supporting Demelza.
Berry is also involved in other local charities also supported by the Axis Foundation including the Charlton Athletic Trust where he supports the new youth services programme.

This donation, like all our donations from the Axis Foundation, will go towards Demelza’s fantastic ‘Adopt a Nurse’ project. The nurses work with both the children and families to provide the care and support at a time they need it the most.

READ MORE
Man teaching life skills to disadvantaged children at Sport 4 LifeDonations

Sport 4 Life

October 12, 2013By

Tackling youth unemployment

Sport 4 Life is a charity that helps people aged 12 to 29 to build better futures through their sports-themed personal development programmes. They aim to tackle youth unemployment at the source by providing mentoring, structured sports sessions and accredited training to marginalised young people.

Their ‘Be Positive’ programme targets 13 to 25-year olds who have struggled at school, endured difficult home lives, or developed behavioural issues. It helps them to build confidence, develop life skills and gain qualifications through structured educational and development activities.

The Axis Foundation has donated £2,000 towards the ‘Be Positive’ programme, directly benefitting the 90 disadvantaged young males who are enrolled on the course. Furthermore, the wider community will benefit from increased youth engagement and subsequent reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour.

Educational workshops at Sports 4 Life focus on key inner-city issues such as alcohol, drugs, sexual health and knife crime. They are designed to improve the behaviour, attitudes, and self-esteem of the youngsters involved. The Axis Foundation’s donation will also purchase much needed educational resources which the charity previously had no funding for.

“Sport 4 Life are incredibly grateful for the generous donation received from the Axis Foundation. This financial support will enable us to provide sports-themed educational programmes to some of the UK’s most disadvantaged young people, and to support them to gain qualifications, transform their behaviour, and ultimately build themselves a better future. We look forward to using the donation to further our charitable work and help disadvantaged young people” – James Forrest, Manager 

READ MORE
Children playing with carers from the London Centre for Children with Cerebral PalsyDonations

LCCCP

July 20, 2013By

Helping children with Cerebral Palsy

The London Centre for Children with Cerebral Palsy is the only government-approved centre and school in London for children with cerebral palsy. They support children from birth to 11 years old, as well as their families and professionals who work with them.

Cerebral palsy affects about 1 in 400 children and the lives of an estimated 50,000 people in the London region alone. Typically this condition results in movement disorders, but many sufferers also have significant learning disabilities, limited communication skills and additional disabilities such as epilepsy, hearing and visual impairment.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of  £3,500 is supporting the specialist education programme called Conductive Education. Our donation will provide sensory equipment to the Parent and Child groups run at the centre in Muswell Hill, North London. This style of learning helps teach children to develop their capabilities, however limited, so they can be as independent as possible. The children are taught using language built around physical tasks, sensory equipment and songs which reinforce tasks.

 “The educational items purchased by The Axis Foundation are enhancing the curriculum and enabling pupils to maximise the skills they learn in Conductive Education. As a result, pupils have improved their communication skills and ability to learn. Each child has also developed and improved their physical skills and overall cognitive functions, which is reducing their need for care and assistance with everyday activities.

“Items purchased included three multi-sensory story books, switch-adapted toys (Cassy the singing bear), curriculum resources for science (jumbo magnifiers), skeletons, colour-changing pebbles, story cushions, a classroom tidy and a Nintendo Wii. Children are benefiting greatly from their new educational resources because it allows them to understand topics in science, literacy and PHSE (personal, social and health education) lessons.

“We are very grateful for the help from The Axis Foundation” – Anna Salamonowicz, Head of Fundraising 

.

READ MORE
13 year old charlie smiling after life enhancing operationDisability

Charlie Randell Fund

June 1, 2013By

Help and hope for sufferer of Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Charlie has suffered from Spastic Cerebral Palsy since birth, meaning that he is unable to control his limbs. The debilitating condition prevents him from being able to walk independently.

The Axis Foundation has answered a plea from Charlie’s family to help contribute towards his £55,000 operation, giving him a new lease of independence. Charlie’s family and friends have worked exceptionally hard to raise the rest of the money needed through fundraising events such as raffles, a school disco, race nights, a zumbathon and various ad hoc donations.

£5,000 from the Axis Foundation will go towards a life-enhancing operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, that aims to isolate the nerves that send ‘bad’ signals from the brain to the legs and hopefully give Charlie more control of the movement in his lower body. If the operation is successful, Charlie should become more flexible and be able to do more things – his ultimate aim is to be able to dress himself.

Charlie’s mum, Amanda Randell: “Everyone who has supported us has been fantastic and that includes Axis. This is a huge single donation and we have been blessed to have been awarded it. The money will be a massive help – we cannot stress how grateful we are”.

READ MORE
Two children rock climbing at school trip with Quest Specialist SchoolDonations

Quest Specialist School

April 23, 2013By

Minibus mobility for Autistic students

Quest Specialist School takes pupils age age 5-19 years across the autistic spectrum. The school helps students to develop appropriate behaviour, communication and functional life skills, which will assist them to lead independent lives in the future.

£20,000 from the Axis donation has covered the cost of a brand new minibus for the school so that they can take students on school trips. Out-of-school visits allow pupils to practice practical skills in the real world, such as using shops, cafes and libraries as independently as possible. In addition, the minibus transports students to sporting activities such as physiotherapy classes, swimming and trampolining.

“The work being done by the Quest School is truly inspirational and is providing disadvantaged young people with genuine life changing opportunities. We hope that by donating this minibus the Axis Foundation will help the students at the school to further develop through expanded community activities” – Axis Foundation Chairman Peter Varney

The severity of Autism suffered by children at the Quest School means they require one on one care by qualified staff. Many have been excluded from attending mainstream special schools so would otherwise have very little exposure to activities where they can interact with other children. Now that they have a more reliable minibus, the specialist school can take students to more exciting and far-flung destinations!

“Before Axis Foundation so kindly helped us, we were struggling with an old, unreliable and costly minibus. The donation of a brand new bus has enabled us to undertake journeys with much more confidence, and we are now able to travel longer distances than previously. Recently, our pupils have experienced trips to London museums, the South coast to the Sea Life centre and trips that we would never have dared to attempt in the old bus. The pupils absolutely love the space, comfort and the opportunities that the bus has bought them. Thank you to everyone at Axis Foundation for making this possible” – Ashley Carter-Mepsted, Development Manager

READ MORE
Two silver Bears on a ribbon at Surrey SandsCare

Surrey Sands

April 12, 2013By

Core support services for grieving families

Surrey SANDS is a self-funded organisation that provides support for anyone grieving the death of a baby. The management committee and befrienders are all volunteers and have all experienced the death of a baby. They know exactly what impact this has on a family.

Our donation of £500 will help the charity to deliver support for grieving families. The donation ensures that the staff of Surrey SANDS have sufficient facilities to continue services such as their helpline, newsletters and booklets, memorial events, support meetings and more.

Surrey SANDS chairlady, Kate Price said: “Naturally, everything we work towards comes at a cost. As a charity we don’t aim to make a profit and all our income is used for the benefit of our members. The majority of our income is generated from our service beneficiaries, their families and friends, so we really appreciate Axis’ donation and are immensely grateful.”

READ MORE
Disabled child smiling in his new specialist car seatDisability

Harrison Smith Fund

March 21, 2013By

Specialist car seat brings mobility

Little Harry’s illness limits his mobility; to help him see more of the world, his parents can purchase a specialist car seat thanks to our donation.

At 13 months, genetic tests diagnosed Harry Smith with 1p36 Deletion Syndrome. This chromosome deficiency affects Harry’s growth, development, speech, hearing, sight, mobility, digestion and motor skills.

Harry’s grandparents set up the ‘Harrison Smith Future Care Fund’ to provide for his future care and Harry’s family and friends host fundraising events including a Valentine’s Day ball which raised £10,000. Harry’s family also applied to the Axis Foundation for £500 Axis Foundation to purchase a specialist car seat, which we were delighted to grant.

The new, lightweight car seat provides added comfort and support through extra-firm armrests. Most importantly, it has a padded swivel base which makes transferring Harry from his wheelchair into the car a much easier process.

“Before we had the new seat it was difficult to transfer Harry without making him feel uncomfortable and hurting our backs leaning into the car” explained Jenny, Harry’s mum.

“We would just like to thank you for donating Harry’s new specialist car seat. It swivels so Harry can be lifted into the car so much easier and is so much more comfortable for him. It will last for a very long time as there is lots of room in it for Harry to grow.”

READ MORE
Child learning horse riding at the Ebony Horse ClubDonations

Ebony Horse Club

March 9, 2013By

Horse riding lessons for disadvantaged youngsters

Ebony Horse Club is a charity that runs a horse riding programme for young people in inner-city communities. The project benefits social housing residents from the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth. It enables children aged 8-16 to experience an activity rarely available in urban areas.

£2479 from the Axis Foundation will pay for 72 children to participate in a two day horse riding introduction course. Keen riders can then to take part in a six-week follow-on programme, also covered by the donations.

“We know from the success of two pilot projects that there is a strong and consistent interest in horse riding from children living in these communities. Unfortunately very few families in social housing can afford to access this type of activity for their children, so they miss out” – Neighbourhood Investment Officer, Maud Gambier-Ellis

The charity has over 16 years experience working with children from disadvantaged backgrounds and has recently opened in Loughborough (Lambeth), one of the most deprived wards in the country. Children are encouraged to take part in many other educational activities including: educational visits, residential trips, and being sponsored for equestrian studies.

 “We’re happy to support a cause that provides children with limited opportunities the ability to gain new experiences and skills, in this case the basics of horse riding and caring for animals. But that will also help with the wider development of their listening, communication and team working skills”- John Hayes, Axis Foundation Trustee 

READ MORE