Set up by three mums in 1992, Happy Days Children's Charity collaborates with communities throughout the UK to offer essential breaks for individuals, families, and groups supporting children with diverse additional needs. These young beneficiaries, aged 3 to 17, represent various backgrounds, cultures, and conditions (mental, physical and emotional).
In 2023, we awarded the charity a grant of £2,000 to support two groups of children in attending specialised theatre productions of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Beauty and the Beast” at two different schools.
The individual difficulties that the children face mean that they do not have many chances to attend a theatre performance due to their dependency of on adult support. But the safe environment that the theatre provides lends itself perfectly to providing a wonderful break from the norm and a chance to have fun!
Thanks to our grant, a total of 180 children, aged 11-17, hailing from Alton and Hampshire, as well as Burgess Hill and West Sussex, who have severe and profound multi learning difficulties and some with complex medical conditions, watched both musical productions.
Charity spokesperson and CEO Ryan Sinclair commented: “Both events have helped the children’s sensory awareness and have gone towards helping to improve their social and communication skills, whilst providing the excitement of a fun activity that facilitates social inclusion. Events like this are often enjoyed by the wider community without a seconds thought but to allow us to help some of the most vulnerable children in our society ensures that they are not a forgotten audience.”
If you would like to know more about this incredible charity, visit: www.happydayscharity.org.