Disabled child using a gait trainer to learn how to walk at the Freddie Farmer FoundationDisability

Freddie Farmer Foundation

September 2, 2017By

Specialist gait trainer provides physiotherapy for disabled children

We’ve donated £7,500 to the Freddie Farmer Foundation, supporting their programme of providing physiotherapy for disabled children. Our contribution helped the charity to purchase a LokoHelp electromechanical gait trainer.

“The LokoHelp electromechanical gait trainer works with children in an upright position to enable them to walk in the correct walking pattern. “It builds up the leg muscles required for walking and encourages a more effective application of therapy in all phases of gait training.

“Ninety percent of our children already benefit from the LokoHelp electromechanical gait trainer which we have been able to purchase with your donation.

“It really makes a difference and has been invaluable to us. The £7,500 donation also completes our £55,000 campaign total. We are really, really happy – it has been hard but we have hit our target now. So a huge thank you from us to you” – Karen Smith, Charity Officer

More About Freddie Farmer Foundation

The children who attend the Freddie Farmer Foundation predominantly suffer from Cerebral Palsy like Freddie Farmer. The centre provides physiotherapy for disabled children aged between 3 and 16 years old. Although most children are from the local area in Bromley, some travel all the way from Scotland, Yorkshire and Malta to receive treatment.

See our video – find out how the Freddie Farmer spent our donation!

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Disabled adults and children enjoy festival experience with help from Festival SpiritDisability

Festival Spirit

September 1, 2017By

Festival experience for life-limited and disabled people

Festival Spirit is passionate about providing magical festival experiences for life-limited and disabled people. The charity ensures that their guests can attend such festivals and have the time of their lives whilst there. The Axis Foundation donated £5,100 to help the charity continue in their mission.

“The money donated has enabled us to purchase vital equipment to ensure we are able to provide the very best facilities and support to our guests. In particular, we have bought two high-quality hoists for bed/chair transfers and changing and a range of kitchen equipment. Our festival brunches are becoming famous!

“It makes a huge difference to our guests knowing that they can be confident they will have access to all the equipment they need through a festival weekend. We couldn’t achieve such success without the support we get from organisations like the Axis Foundation.

“We were delighted to be able to make three festivals accessible in 2017. The donation we received from you was really important to us and the equipment we purchased was greatly appreciated by the attendees” – Steve Clarke, Trustee

More about Festival Spirit

Many music festivals simply cannot offer the full festival experience for life-limited and disabled people as they cannot accommodate the special requirements.
Festival Spirit lays on a specially-adapted marquee (with hard flooring, heating and electricity) which are close to disabled facilities such as showers and toilets, as well as full electric hospital beds, shower chairs/commodes and a curtained-off private sleeping area. There are camp beds for carers too, and ‘buddies’ who assist the guests and their carers travelling around the site.

“For four days, I was Lucy. I was a young adult. I was a festival-goer. I was part of a group. I was doing something many people do. I was myself. I was not a ‘disabled’ young adult, or a ‘disabled’ festival-goer, or a ‘disabled’ group member, I was simply me” – Lucy, attending WOMAD with Festival Spirit

 

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Child sitting in a mobility chair that has been donated to him.Disability

Vinnie James

March 15, 2017By

Mobility for toddler with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

Vinnie James was diagnosed with type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) at eight weeks old. SMA is a genetic disease, causing deterioration in nerve cells connecting the brain and spinal cord to the muscles. Type 1 is the most severe.

Vinnie’s family had been campaigning to raise money for a Permobil Koala Power chair to provide him with some mobility and independence. As his mother Kelly told us: “He currently has to stay where we put him. He’s a toddler. He should be running around causing mayhem but he’s not able to.”

The Axis Foundation initially agreed to donate £1,500 to cover the cost of the deposit for the chair. However – touched and impressed by further successful fundraising efforts by the family – the Foundation donated the final £6,000 needed to buy the chair. The family was also supported by chairman of local charity Heart of Darts’ Ian Waller.

“Without the help of the Axis Foundation and the donation they’ve made to the chair, we are unsure whether we would have got it. Moving forward, the chair will grow with Vinnie and ensure his mobility and independence – you have changed all of our lives” – Kelly, Vinnie’s mother

The story continues…

In 2020, the Axis Foundation donated a further £4,400 to fund a year’s physiotherapy with a Neuromuscular Physiotherapist for Vinnie.

“The money from The Axis foundation has ensured that Vinnie has access to the best possible physiotherapy. It means that we can continue working hard on making our little boy stronger and he can keep smashing SMA. Thank you” – parents, Luke and Kelly James

A further award in 2025 of £6,750 contributed towards the costs of resurfacing the driveway so that it is less bumpy for Vinnie.

Kelly explains:  “Recently Vinnie has received tracheostomy surgery as his airway has collapsed and he uses a ventilator full-time. Our driveway is unstable and unsafe and we cannot use our mobility vehicle without hitting bumps. Any slight bump could cause the tube to be dislodged or due to his unsafe swallow he could choke. We have been housebound for nearly a year.

“Having the driveway done will mean that we can take him and our other children on family days out without the worry of how we are going to transport him into the vehicle.”

After the resurfacing works were completed, Kelly said:

 “I was so happy when I heard that the Axis Foundation was able to help Vinnie once more. They have been so generous in the past, funding physio sessions and a special wheelchair. And their operatives even helped make the door wider to accommodate the new chair too!
The driveway at our property was a hazard to use with Vinnie since his tracheostomy in 2024, going out had become a massive challenge for us. Having a smooth flat driveway ensures we can go out and about safely with Vinnie, improving his quality of life. Thank you!”

And there’s more!

Axis Operative Dan Ward (who was working near to Vinnie’s home on a routine job) noticed how his mum Kelly and the family struggled to manoeuvre Vinnie’s previous chair through the front door of their property. So, he volunteered to fit and install a special door which was provided by supply chain partner Travis Perkins.

“The team at Axis saw what a struggle it was on a day to basis to get Vinnie in and out of our property. They came and fitted a specialist door that opens outwards making our life so much easier. This act of kindness is greatly appreciated by our family” – Kelly, Vinnie’s mother

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A child plays in the sensory soft room at Tower Hamlets Opportunity Group.Donations

Tower Hamlets Opportunity Group

December 12, 2016By

Safe sensory soft room for playgroup children

The Tower Hamlets Opportunity Group is a playgroup which provides a safe environment for all children (under 5) living in the borough supporting them on their journey into school.

51% of the children who attend the playgroup have a disability or additional needs, so it’s important that parents feel confident their children are involved in a safe, fully inclusive, pre-school, educational environment. In addition, Tower Hamlets Opportunity Group, a registered charity, aims to reduce isolation by helping people become part of the community.

In 2016 we made a donation of  £9,097. With this grant the Group created a sensory soft room including soft cushioning, steps, a slide, a mirror a dome, a projector and a twinkle hut for the children. Here the Tower Hamlets children – particularly those with disabilities – can learn and develop as they engage with their peers in a safe with a safe, stimulating and enriching environment.

“The sensory soft room was a simple design but it ticks all the boxes for under 5s development. It gives our little ones the scope to be confident and supports their imagination and physical development. Thank you for providing us with such a useful resource. Our children have really benefited from using the sensory room. It is a bright, soft and atmospheric room that everyone loves to use” – Lorraine Dooley MBE, Project Co-ordinator

 “The children at the setting are making great use of the sensory soft room that the Axis Foundation awarded us funding for. It has been such a great resource. The play practitioners and children are delighted”- Alan Dooley, Capacity Building Officer

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Elderly Woman at daycare centre being supported by unpaid carerCare

Carers Choices

November 12, 2016By

Minibus gives support to volunteer carers

The Axis Foundation has donated £7,500 to Carers Choices to assist them in buying a minibus. The charity, which operates in Essex, provides support for volunteer carers in the local community. They will use the minibus to transport carers and those that are cared for to their daycare centres and facilitate their respite services. This enables the carers to attend appointments, do some shopping, meet up with friends and have some ‘me time’ which can do wonders for a carer’s wellbeing. The Axis Foundation’s support also means the charity will be able to take a group of their clients out for the day, allowing the carers some respite.

 “The very generous funding from the Axis Foundation has enabled us to achieve the imminent delivery of a new minibus to be used by volunteer carers and the ‘cared for’ in the community. The ability to transport larger numbers of our clients, of whom many are in a wheelchair, is key to the provision of a more varied schedule of activities for those most needing the stimulation from the activities or the carers needing respite. Having access to this minibus will open up a whole new world for some of our clients who often suffer in isolation and lonelines” – Angela Allum, Silver Birch Centre Manager

More About Carers Choices

Carers Choices have three daycare centres; two of which provide activity-led stimulation, fun and movement for those living with Dementia. This has a double effect in that it provides a full day of respite for the carer as well as improving the mental and physical wellbeing of the person living with Dementia. The third daycare centre offers specialist care for adults with disabilities ranging from learning difficulties to physical conditions such as muscular dystrophy, quadriplegia, spina bifida and cerebral palsy. Carers Choices also send trained Support Workers into the homes of unpaid carers to assist them in their caring role.

 

 

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Child having a horse riding lesson at Vauxhall City farm.Community

Vauxhall City Farm

November 6, 2016By

Horse riding therapy at urban city farm helps disabled and disadvantaged children

Vauxhall City Farm started out in 1977 with local people working voluntarily to transform derelict land into an oasis of country life in the heart of London. Their Horse Riding Therapy Centre has been helping the Vauxhall community since opening in 2002.

The Axis Foundation has been supporting Vauxhall City Farm for many years. We have donated a total of £25,000  to the charity through five separate donations since our first donation in 2006. In addition, Axis people actively volunteered at the farm as it was close to our then Head Quarters.

 “Vauxhall City Farm Riding Therapy Centre has had a very successful year since receipt of payment of the grant from the Axis Foundation. We aim to continue to provide the current number of lessons to disabled and disadvantaged children and sustain the much-valued work for the benefit of local young people. We cannot thank you enough” –  Riding Centre Manager, Linda Hinds 

More About Vauxhall City Farm

Vauxhall City Farm’s horse riding project targets disabled and disadvantaged children in inner-city areas who would not normally have the opportunity to horse ride. In one year the centre provided 1,283 riding lessons to young people and 1,878 riding for the disabled lessons. Their feedback has shown that the horse riding therapy project offers a substantial amount of beneficial factors including increased confidence, relationship building and achieving individual goals, Horse riding and can also act as a form of physiotherapy.

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A horse at the diamond centre that provides horse riding therapyDisability

The Diamond Centre

June 8, 2016By

We help more disabled riders enjoy horse riding

The Diamond Centre is a charity that provides horse riding facilities to support disabled children and adults. Horse riding is widely recognised to be beneficial for both physical and mental health, and 320 riders enjoy its positive effects at the centre every week.

Our funding will support a horse called Splash. The donation will cover the cost of his hay, hard feed, straw, veterinary fees and all other caring costs for an entire year.

“We are delighted that the Axis Foundation has sponsored Splash who, although little, is a big favourite with our riders. The donation will allow us to continue to offer horse riding for the disabled children – as well as enabling them to have fun!” – The Diamond Centre

More About The Diamond Centre

Based in Surrey, The  Diamond Centre specialises in all aspects of horse riding for the disabled including: dressage, carriage driving, vaulting and hippotherapy. Riders, all aged between 4 and 65, get to enjoy regular contact with horses with the assistance of an instructor. The experience of horse riding gives people independence, a sense of achievement, and most importantly, a smile on their faces.

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Disabled child in specialist mobility chairDisability

George Tappenden Fund

May 3, 2016By

Specialist mobility wheelchair for disabled toddler

Toddler George Tappenden lost the use of his legs due to Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) so the Axis Foundation donated £3,000 to help his family buy his new specialist mobility chair.

The chair supports George’s body and enables him to get around more easily, stand up, sit on the floor, play with his siblings and be able to experience a life closer to that of a typical, happy toddler. The specialist mobility chair cost £21,000: George’s family and friends organised successful fundraisers including raffles, quiz nights, balls and auctions to raise the required amount; our donation helped them reach the total they needed.

George’s mum, Lucy Frost said: “We want to thank the Axis Foundation and all the people who donated. It’s hard to believe that it was just before Christmas that we were told George had SMA, and when we were told how much the specialist mobility chair cost it felt like we were never going to get there – but we did. What is very hard as a mother is knowing that George will get worse, and everything he ever needs or uses is going to have to be designed to him. That’s why I hope people continue to be so kind and support us. Thank you.”

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Child and teacher on Heltwate School trip to NorfolkDonations

Heltwate School

April 23, 2016By

Helping students with learning disabilities gain life skills

The Axis Foundation donated £200 to Heltwate School to assist them in organising a school trip to for their students: all have severe special educational needs and some are on the Autism spectrum. The children spent a week away on the Norfolk Coastline. They stayed in two youth hostels and visited destinations and attractions around Norfolk.  Far more than a sight-seeing exercise, this school trip enabled students with learning disabilities firstly to live a little more independently, and also taught them some basic skills such as meal preparation and tidying, cleaning and bed making. For some it was the first time, or the longest time, that any of them had spent away from home.

Our donation made the trip even more special: it paid for the students to take part in a boat cruise – on which some thoroughly enjoyed steered the boat; and we also contributed to a day trip to the North Norfolk Railway which was a real treat as many of the children love transport.

“We were blown away to receive such a generous donation from the Axis Foundation. I cannot put into words the difference it made to our trip. They enjoyed themselves immensely and the growth in confidence and self esteem during the week away was evident” – Kim Granger, teacher 

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Four men from England Deaf Rugby Team show trophyDonations

England Deaf Rugby Team

August 11, 2014By

 Support for Deaf Rugby player

Paul Cooper, a member of the England Deaf Rugby team, Paul Cooper, received £500 from the Foundation which will go towards training equipment and transport costs to get to and from matches.

The Deaf Rugby team was set up for deaf and hard-of-hearing players who are often overlooked by mainstream clubs because of their disability. However, it often relies on donations for equipment, training facilities and transport to operate. The importance of the club goes beyond access to sport. The team were invited to take a tour of the Houses of Parliament and discuss deaf awareness with MPs.

Paul explained: “It’s not easy to communicate when you have partial hearing loss and making those in parliament aware of the challenges and issues that need to be addressed will hopefully help the wider deaf community.”

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