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Caudwell Children welcome over 500 people to their Family Open Day
Summary
- Caudwell Children invites the public to their Family Open Day at the Caudwell International Children’s Centre.
- Families could learn more about Caudwell Children, hear about the charity’s services for autistic children and children with a disability, while enjoying exciting activities.
- Caudwell Children has seen a 36.7% increase since last year in the number of autistic children supported.
On Friday 11th August, Caudwell Children opened their doors to the award-winning Caudwell International Children’s Centre, based in Keele, Newcastle-under-Lyme for their free Family Fun Open Day.
The Open Day sponsored by Mobility for you, SpaceKraft, Boldertech, Trentham Foods, Fifteen Group, Motus Medical, Precision Rehab, Theraplay, Independence Mobility and Concentric Solutions, was the perfect opportunity for families to learn more about Caudwell Children, the services the charity offers and how they are striving towards changing lives, changing society and changing charity.
Since 2000, Caudwell Children have supported over 78,500 autistic children and children with a disability and since 2022 there has been a 48.2% increase in the number of children and families supported. The charity provides eight core services which include: Family Support, Equipment, Treatment, Therapy, Short Breaks, Autism Services, Sensory Packs and Workshops.
Families could walk around the building at their own leisure and had the opportunity to look around the facilities, including the Autism Assessment and Sensory Rooms. SpaceKraft hosted a Sensory
Equipment Showcase, where children could interact with sensory items and families could learn about the therapeutic benefit of each item. Caudwell Children’s Staff and in-house clinical team were available to talk about the charity’s services, career and volunteering opportunities and answer any questions.
Melissa Brown attended the Open Day with her family and said “It was amazing to see the amount of people at the open day, it’s lovely to see so many families and feel as though you fit in.”
There are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK and it’s estimated more than 2,500 people in Stoke-on-Trent are on the spectrum. By 2035 it is estimated that there will be approximately 2,740 people in the city with autism. Autistic people in Stoke-on-Trent are being ‘prevented from living a normal life’ by a ‘society that does not understand or adjust’ to their condition, it has been claimed.
Caudwell Children provide autism assessments at their centre for children aged 4-11 years old, helping to provide a more efficient pathway of assessment, diagnosis and intervention to help the NHS and children who need vital support. Since January last year the charity has increased their autism and occupational therapy sensory assessments by 36.7%. Not only does the charity provide support for families now, they are striving to change society and perceptions around autism and disability, promoting awareness and breaking down negative stigma.
Melissa added “Caudwell Children have helped me so much. I was at a loose end back in 2018 and knew that something wasn’t quite seen and noticed in Levi. I did a lot of research and I first came across the sensory packs and after ringing up about them, I was advised about the autism service. After Levi was diagnosed our outlook as a family and for Levi as an individual has dramatically changed, he starts college in September. He’s gone from being on 13 tablets a day to needing no medication at all due to us now having the right support in place and it’s all thanks to Caudwell Children.
“I’ve been to numerous Caudwell Children Workshops in the past, they have helped massively and after talking to Emma today who runs the workshops, we’ve signed up for another one. As Levi’s got older, I need a little bit of help with putting boundaries in place as he goes through his teenage years.”
During the Open Day, families and children could take part in numerous activities including: powered wheelchair football, wheelchair basketball, cake decorating and Book of Beasties. The unconventional Menagerie welcomed animal lovers and showed off a variety of wildlife that they had previously rescued, including an artic fox, baby meerkat, hedgehog, several species of snake, scorpions and an alligator.
Face painting, an ice cream van and a digger also made an appearance and attendees could also take part in a raffle where the proceeds went straight towards funding for Caudwell Children’s services.
Dylan a previous Caudwell Children beneficiary was in attendance and demonstrated his powered wheelchair football skills with St George’s knights.
Dylan said “Caudwell Children got me started with my first football chair and this allowed me to start my wheelchair football career.
“I got into wheelchair football because I saw a demonstration at an open day Caudwell Children did previously. Someone from the Wheelchair Football Association was there.
“Caudwell Children has changed my life immensely, I’m a more confident person and the social and emotional benefit the wheelchair football provides me with is huge. Without Caudwell Children I couldn’t do powered wheelchair football.
“Before Caudwell Children supported me life was very dull and it was difficult to find any sport that I could do. I haven’t got the upper body strength to do wheelchair basketball.
“I started off at St George’s knights and I’ve recently transferred to West Brom and last season I got top goal scorer in the premier league and none of this would have been possible without Caudwell Children.”
For more information about Caudwell Children’s services, please visit https://www.caudwellchildren.com/caudwell-services.
For more information please contact:
Sarah Annable – PR Executive
m 07917 790 087 t 01782 433 914
e sarah.annable@caudwellchildren.com
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