Big Give 2022 - Movement Matters

24 November 2022

The Big Give is back from 29th November - 6th December.

This year, we're fundraising for new trikes and walkers for our young people. We’re aiming to raise £20,000 which would fund five trikes and two walkers. Donate between 29th November – 6th December and your donation will be doubled.

Donate via The Big Give on our campaign page here.

Why do we need new walkers and trikes?

Pupils at Chailey Heritage School benefit significantly from the opportunity to be out of their wheelchairs and using their legs and arms. Trikes and walkers provide pupils with the physical support essential to be able stay upright, while allowing them to explore the possibility of using stepping skills. The combination of seat, pelvic and chest support allows the child to maintain an upright posture which they may never be able to achieve independently and yet leaves their hands free to play. The posturally supportive mechanism allows young people to work on balance and motor development during therapy, while the hands free design allows the child to touch, feel and learn from their surroundings.

Many of our pupils are currently having to share a number of walkers. In one particular case, up to seven children require the use of the same walker. This limits the number of occasions that they are able to access this activity. It also increases risks, and reduces the time available for each child to use the equipment, as the set up of the walker needs to be adapted to meet the specific needs of the child, which can often take up fo fifteen minutes.

Tristan’s story

When Tristan first joined Chailey Heritage School, he needed a lot of support and encouragement to get out of his wheelchair and use the trike or walker. But embedding exercise into his daily routine has helped Tristan become stronger and he is now able to walk with a handling belt, and pedal for much longer distances.

Being able to ride his trike or walk gives Tristan independence and control. He is actively making a choice, not being a passive recipient of his care, but actively contributing to it. When he is upset or unsettled, riding his trike will often help him to calm down and he returns to class, happier and in a better place to actively enjoy his day.

Watch the video to find out more.

Benefits of walkers and trikes

Walkers and trikes have many health and therapeutic benefits for young people with disabilities such as improving their joint mobility and increasing their muscle strength. Regular use of muscles has a vital role in preventing disuse atrophy, which occurs when a muscle is no longer active.

A greater pool of trikes and walkers will also help us to increase the educational and social development of our pupils:

•        Cycling is a fun and enjoyable activity and having this equipment available enables them to enjoy a recreational activity that many children without disabilities take for granted.  

•        The opportunity to explore their environment independently is also a fundamental part of learning for any young child – for our younger pupils, especially those who cannot control a wheelchair without assistance, the ability to discover their surroundings, whether in the classroom or in our outdoor play areas has huge developmental benefits.

•        Using walkers in particular also encourages young people to participate in games and activities. For example, they will use them as part of their lessons to step onto different textures, create paintings with their feet or play games where they knock down obstacles. With a greater pool, we could even have sufficient walkers for entire classes (usually up to six children) to play such games together, thus supporting their social development too 

How can I donate through The Big Give?

Donations made online at the Big Give website will be match funded between 29th and 6th December. Don’t forget to visit The Big Give website on 29 November when our donation page goes live!

DONATE HERE

How are the funds matched?

Thank you to our pledgers Creative Pod, Vistry Group, Adavirtual, Knill James and Madison Solutions and our charity champion the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust who are generously matching donations for the Big Give this year.