Big news! Set your alarms as tomorrow is the day Family Fund feature on BBC Radio 4 appeals. Also did I mention we have Jo Whiley presenting the appeal for us – a radio legend!!
This is our first ever national campaign and we are sp excited for it. It feels weird and unjust to be excited in these times but it’s something we have been working so hard on for so long now that I just cant help it. Especially with the national ‘Save UK charities’ campaign that is soon to launch, this is massive for us to raise our profiles and help our cause, as every penny we raise helps families raising disabled and seriously ill children.
There are one million disabled children in the UK and a third of them live in poverty. As the current crisis challenges all of us in ways we couldn’t have imagined, those with compromised health and fewer resources face the greatest risks.
This Sunday 19 April at 7.54am, TV and Radio broadcaster Jo Whiley presents the BBC Radio 4 Appeal for Family Fund to help disabled children live well through hardship.
It’s three times more expensive to raise disabled children and around a third of families are doing so in poverty.
Family Fund is here to help and provides families with financial support or specialist items helping disabled children live well through hardship.
Jo understands the challenges facing families raising a disabled child, growing up with her younger sister who has a rare genetic syndrome.
So please don’t forget to tune in and listen. If you can then please donate, and it you can’t then please just be sure to go on all our social media platforms and like and share our posts! Get our message out there, share our story and tell all your friends and families!
I’m too excited that I don’t even mind the fact I’m having to work on a Sunday (who even am I?)
Help us out without even getting out of bed!
My alarm is set, is yours?
Loves,
G x
disability
Welcome to the Family
Evening lovers,
The sun is shining, its Easter weekend and spring has sprung. I’ve already eaten my body weight in chocolate and I’m not even a little bit guilty. I had given up chocolate for Lent, which has been incredibly hard since lockdown begun with chocolate literally staring me in the face all day every day. I decided the money saved from not buying all the sweet stuff would be donated to my wonderful charity, Family Fund (giving me that last bit of motivation to keep going to the end).
I thought now would be a lovely time to sit down and tell you all about the fantastic work we do. Family Fund is a national UK charity helping low income families raising disabled or seriously ill children to afford essential items, to break down barriers that families may face.
I started working for Family Fund in April 2019 after returning home. I’ve always wanted to work for a charity, and have volunteered for years to aim towards this, so when I saw the job as a First Contact Officer I thought it was a great stepping stone into the charity world.
My job involved speaking to the families requiring our help and whatever their queries I would be there to help. Let me tell you this job is not an easy one. Overnight you become an under qualified therapist, someone to lend an ear when families might not have anyone else to turn to, a blank wall for them to throw all their worries and rants against. And we take it, and we listen and we try to offer support as much as possible, both emotional and financial.
Some of the families might not have a support system in place. A support system that most of us take for granted and rely on without realising.
The stories you hear are almost too hard to imagine as these are families living in the UK, a first world country with the 5th biggest economy in the world. The poverty that some families face whilst raising a disabled or seriously ill child isp shocking, and although on our doorstep, it isnt a realisation we have to face daily so we forget. We continue about our lives with no real thought, complaining about trivial problems like what to cook for dinner.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m the exact same – it’s just how we live our lives. The problem has only come to my forefront due to my job, and a bigger problem then I could of imagined. A million disabled children in the UK and a third live in poverty. No child should live in poverty.
These are families fleeing from domestic violence, parents that have had to leave their jobs due to becoming full time carers for their children, families that cant afford food, clothing, a bed or a cooker.
Did you know it cost 3x more to raise a child with disabilities?
I didn’t want this to a be a pity party I just wanted to bring attention to the problem Family Fund is trying so hard to tackle. Just to make people a little more aware, as I’m sure many of you – like myself – would have no idea. I want you all to know and remember the name Family Fund, share our stories, like our posts, donate if you can. Check in on your neighbours as they may need your help but don’t know how to ask, talk about us to your friends, families and colleagues and help us raise more money to help more families.
I don’t want to end on a sad note so I will celebrate and share the fact that in November last year I was internally promoted to Fundraising Coordinator. I can finally say I love my job and I can’t wait to try and make a a real difference.
All the loves,
Stay happy and safe.
G x
thedifferencediaries 