Grant support for families with disabled children in Wales

Family Fund is taking steps to reach more families raising disabled and seriously ill children across Wales with their grant support.

The challenging economic times have become even greater for families in Wales who have been affected by the recent floods.  UK charity, Family Fund have stepped up their work to reach more families across the region by holding face to face roadshow events, the next of which are in North Wales on 25thand 26thFebruary.  All families raising disabled or seriously ill children are invited to come along and speak to Family Fund staff about the support that is available.

The Family Fund is the UK’s largest provider of grants to low income families raising disabled or seriously ill children and receives grants from the four UK Governments, including the National Assembly for Wales.  Last year, the Fund helped, 4,830 families across Wales. For every pound in funding received by the Fund more than 93p goes to support families in grants and services. 

Family Fund can help eligible families with grants once every 12 months but will consider a further application in urgent circumstances.  Each year, the Fund works hard to reach families across Wales but find that families helped in the past are reluctant to apply for another grant.

Liz from Cardiff recently met with Family Fund at one of their roadshows, she said:

“I’ve always felt that once my family has had their award, someone else should have the chance to apply, I feel I don’t want to ask for a handout.  I think that most families feel there is a stigma attached to getting help from a charity and it can look like greed.  I didn’t realise that Family Fund received a grant from the Welsh Government just to help families like mine.

The grants help relieve that stress and worry of having to save up or do without for items that help my disabled sons and I.  Family Fund makes a massive difference and it was great to thank them in person and get help with my next application.”

Cheryl Ward, Chief Executive at the Family Fund said:

“The recent floods have seen more families come to the Family Fund for help.  Our grants have a positive and lasting impact on the everyday lives of families and even more so when items that are vital to the care of a disabled child are lost in such dreadful circumstances.  We urge all families raising disabled and seriously ill children in Wales to contact the Family Fund and, if they can, come along to our roadshows to talk through how we can help.”

Contact comms@familyfund.org.uk for any further information.

Further quotes and case studies from families in Wales are available on request.

Ends

Notes to editors

1. 1.      The Family Fund is the country’s largest grant-giving charity and has over forty years of helping families with disabled children. It helps ease the additional pressures faced by low-income families raising a disabled child by giving them grants for a wide range of goods and services, including washing machines, dryers, fridges, clothing, bedding, sensory toys, computers, much-needed family breaks and more. Across the UK last year, the Fund supported 64,020 families with £33 million in grants, 4,830 of these families live in Wales.
2. 2.      The upcoming roadshows in North Wales:

1. 3.      Family Fund grant applications can be downloaded from the Family Fund website www.familyfund.org.uk.  Families can contact Family Fund using the online contact form or by telephoning: 0844 974 4099.

All press enquiries, contact Alison Jessop on Tel. 01904 571 094, mobile 07825 699192, email comms@familyfund.org.uk

Alison Jessop, Group Communications Manager
Family Fund, 4 Alpha Court, Monks Cross Drive, Huntington, York, YO32 9WN

Tel: 01904 571094 Mobile: 07825 699192 email: comms@familyfund.org.uk

The Family Fund is the country’s largest grant-giving charity and has over forty years of helping families with disabled children. It helps ease the additional pressures faced by low-income families raising a disabled child by giving them grants for a wide range of goods and services, including washing machines, dryers, fridges, clothing, bedding, sensory toys, computers, much-needed family breaks and more. Across the UK last year, the Fund supported 64,020 families with £33 million in grants, 4,830 of these families live in Wales.