Winter 2019 Issue 24Discover the difference that your support makes

ReAcHiNG OuT

From pony riding to pottery, you’re helping Annie experience all the world has to offer

How you’re supporting children who are deafblind and their families

Annie

“Annie can do activities that we wouldn’t dream of as we’d be too nervous to try these things on our own. But with Sense, Annie has been pony riding, swimming, gone to the circus and done pottery.”

Alison, Annie’s mum

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You may remember Annie from our 2016 Grand Opening of the Sense Centre, TouchBase Pears. You’ll be happy to hear that Annie loves coming here and – with your help – she’s now discovering more of the outside world too!

Annie was a regular at our Sensory Explorers pre-school group, and now that she’s five-years-old she’s enjoying being part of our Saturday Club at our TouchBase Pears centre.

You may remember from last year that Luca loves signing along to some of his favourite songs – and with your support, songs have been the key to helping him express himself.

Luca is a regular at our Sensory Explorers

group and our Saturday Club. He loves having the chance to explore more of his senses through activities like messy play.

Another favourite activity is music.

You helped Luca sing a new song

Having your support since he was a baby means that Luca, who has CHARGE syndrome, is becoming more confident at using Makaton to communicate. And with your continued support he can carry on learning new songs and signs.

“Luca signs to ‘Dingle Dangle Scarecrow’. He even sings the tune of it, if he’s in a quiet environment, which is amazing as we never thought he’d do this.”

Faye, Luca’s mum

Luca

could buy a set of rainbow musical bells to excite the senses of another child who loves music like Luca!

could pay for another child like Annie to enjoy an exciting day out that’s tailored to their needs.£65

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With sensory stories, activities and the familiar sensory room that Annie loves, it’s a magical place for her to explore and – crucially – everything is set up for her needs, so she won’t have to feel left out.

Your support means Annie is also getting the chance to enjoy amazing new experiences on exciting days out.

Sense Children and Family Support Workers have lots of experience of working with children with complex disabilities, so they can make activities safe and appropriate to Annie’s needs. She can have fun and experience new things. Thank you so much for helping her to grow in confidence.

Logan

You’ll be helping Logan have his best birthday!

At our Woodpecker and Twiglets pre-school groups, you’ve given Logan the chance to explore new textures and sensations. This helps him to become more familiar and comfortable with his body and what it can do.

Logan loves to feel the soft sand or tickly foam between his toes during messy play. He’s also learnt to interact with wind-chimes by moving them with his head and delights in the musical vibrations! Logan also loves spending time in the ball pool, which is specially designed for children with complex disabilities.

Logan has cerebral palsy and brain damage, as well as limited vision and hearing. He needs specialist support to access and enjoy even simple activities. But in the safe and supported environment of Woodside, he’s learning so much.

You last heard about Logan when he was just one year old. Now he’s about to celebrate his fifth birthday with a party in a place that is special to him and his family – Sense Family Centre, Woodside.

Logan first visited Woodside when he was just three months old. And it has been a huge part of his life ever since.

“Without Sense’s Woodside centre, I would be lost. It’s safe and accessible for Logan, and helps him experience simple things that others might take for granted.” Philippa, Logan’s mum

Logan can interact with special switch toys at Woodside and is starting to understand cause and effect. With the help of specialist Sense staff, he’s learning that by pressing a big button or switch, he can trigger a noise, or exciting lights. He can start actively making things happen, instead of things just happening to him. Thanks to you and Sense, Logan is starting to make sense of his world and the world around him.

could pay for a switch toy so a child can learn about cause and effect, and start to make choices.£37

Freya

£170

Eight-year-old Freya is deafblind and has CHARGE syndrome, but with specialist support from Sense, and the wonderful generosity of people like you, she’s a ‘force of nature’, says her proud mum. Freya is thriving in mainstream school, dreaming of teaching Braille when she grows up, and inspiring younger children with CHARGE to reach for the stars.

Sense has been part of Freya’s life since she was just two and a half years old. Her mum, Beverley, remembers how a Sense Children and Family Support Worker first visited them at home with sensory toys and musical instruments.

The focus was on what Freya could do and what she would do. And over the years our support has given Beverley the confidence to know what is best for Freya and help her daughter reach her potential.

“Sense gave us a voice”, says Beverley. And thanks to the support she receives from a specialist Sense teacher, Freya is excelling in her mainstream school.

After breathing through a tracheostomy tube for three years, Freya overcame the challenges of severe hearing and visual impairments to learn to speak. She also conquered her lack of balance, and now walks and runs with her white cane. You are helping Freya achieve so many milestones, and giving her the confidence to enjoy new activities, from horse riding to swimming.

Beverley is certain that without the kindness of people like you and Sense’s support, Freya wouldn’t be as articulate and confident as she is.

“My gratitude comes from somewhere so deep rooted in our family. You may have an idea what a difference you make but it’s way beyond that. You’ve given my child the ability to learn, to see potential as never ending.” Beverley, Freya’s mum

You’re helping Freya be her outgoing, loving, stubborn, funny, confident self

could pay for a Children and Family Support Worker to visit a child like Freya at home for two hours.

Mia

Families were thrilled to read your messages of support this Christmas. Here are just a few of the heartwarming messages they received from Sense supporters.

Your spectacular Christmas gifts

Supporters

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Thank you to all supporters who so generously gave to Sense’s Christmas Appeal, helping to raise a wonderful £121,146. Your gifts will mean Sense can give vital support to children like Mia, who comes alive whenever she visits our sensory room at Sense Family Centre, Manor Lodge.

Our Christmas Family Days are one of the highlights of the year, with many Sense

Centres transformed into winter wonderlands for children who are deafblind or have complex disabilities to enjoy. For her Christmas Family Day, Mia visited Santa’s Grotto at a local garden centre, where she loved the displays of twinkling lights. And Santa knew exactly what she wanted for Christmas – she received a light up spinning wand!

Your support for ‘When I’m Gone’You may remember reading about Inge and her daughter Noreen in our Summer Appeal. Inge shares the worries of so many parents who have a child who is deafblind, ‘who will take care of them when I am gone?’

It’s clear this appeal really resonated with kind supporters like you, who have helped us raise an amazing £85,673!

And we’re also grateful to the 35,000 people (so far!) who have signed our petition calling for the government to offer more support to families in this position. Thank you to all who donated or signed our petition!

When you enter the Sense Raffle, you could be in with a chance of winning an amazing £4,000. And for runners up there’s a cute and cuddly prize, Teddy Sense!

When Bridget and Rob Tims bought a ticket for our Sense Spring Raffle in 2017, along with giving their support to children who are deafblind, they also won the top prize of £4,000!

With their prize money, they were able to fulfil their dream of visiting China on an unforgettable 16-day trip. For Bridget and Rob, it was, ‘a truly great experience.’

Sense Raffles are a fun way for you to be in with the chance of winning £4,000 too and – most importantly – help provide absolutely life-changing support for children who are deafblind, or have complex disabilities.

tel 0300 330 9257 text 0300 330 9252 supporterservices@sense.org.uk www.sense.org.uk/reachingout

Sense, The National Deafblind and Rubella Association, 101 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9LG. Registered charity number 289868. Patron: Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal

For more information on the Sense Raffle and to take part, please contact our Supporter Services Team on 0300 330 9257 or email supporterservices@sense.org.uk

You could be the next winner of our Sense Raffle!

For just £1 a week, you can enter Sense’s Weekly Lottery and win a jackpot of £25,000!

The new Sense Weekly Lottery!Half of every £1 you give goes directly to Sense’s work while the rest funds administration costs and future prizes.

You’ve got to be in it to win it, so to enter, just visit: sense.org.uk/lottery or call 0300 330 9257. Don’t delay, buy your ticket to scoop the jackpot today!

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