Shropshire grandmother's charity plea to support children's sensory development
The grandmother of a nine-year-old Shropshire girl is urging people to support a disabled children’s charity campaign that has been a “godsend” during lockdown.
Caudwell Children has helped families all over the country during the coronavirus lockdown, including dozens in Shropshire, by providing disabled children with essential sensory equipment.
The Get Sensory Packs campaign has been met with huge demand from parents seeking help with daily tasks including home-schooling and fitness activities while at home during the Covid restrictions.
Among thousands of applicants from across the UK are 35 Shropshire families that have applied to the charity for support.
That includes 18 families in Shrewsbury, 12 in Telford, plus families from Market Drayton, Newport, Oswestry and Whitchurch.
Among the recipients is Kitty Edmunds, who lives in Market Drayton and attends Severndale Specialist Academy in Shrewsbury.
Kitty has a genetic condition called Angelman syndrome, which causes delayed development, difficulties with co-ordination and frequent laughter among other symptoms. She received her pack from Caudwell Children earlier this year.
Now her grandmother and carer Iana Jacobson is urging people to support Caudwell Children so that they can help more children like Kitty.
Development
Iana said: “Kitty is a lovely, happy, confident child who, like most children, wants to explore her world.
“Her world is a sensory world rather than something she can talk about or reflect on, so the sensory toys are really good for her development.
“Because Kitty's disability and sensory issues mean that she doesn't like to play with most toys, finding ways to keep her active and stop her getting bored can be quite difficult at the best of times.
“I liked the look of the sensory pack because the toys are robust and well made. Each one is made for a specific type of sensory play; either visual, auditory, sensual, balancing, massaging or a mixture of these.
“For families like ours, packs like these are a real godsend. It's incredibly hard to find ways to keep Kitty entertained and enjoying life at the best of times as so many things that most families take for granted, like sports clubs, music lessons or art groups aren't things that she can participate in, so we're already quite limited.
“Being at home all the time has made that a lot harder, so a pack like this can really help to get Kitty engaged and having fun again.”
'Enormous demand'
Caudwell Children has supported more than 50,000 disabled children and their families since 2000.
To help more children like Kitty, the charity is asking people to give generously to ensure it can provide the support that families need in the coming months.
Trudi Beswick, CEO of Caudwell Children, said: “The demand for our Get Sensory Packs has been enormous in recent weeks as the reality of a further lockdown has affected families up and down the country.
“We want to support every parent who has come to us for help – and we want to do that as quickly as we can.
“To achieve that goal we need extra support. No donation is too small. For just £10 you can help us provide a child with a set of two fibre optic devices that change colour to stimulate the visual and tactile senses. They are very popular with disabled children.
“It’s so encouraging to hear stories like Kitty’s. Please support us if you can.”
To donate, visit getsensorypacks.com/donate
