Family fun day and auction to raise much-needed funds for tribunals

By Lily Chick

FUNDRAISING PARENTS are holding an auction and family fun day as they bid to raise £6,000 for the cost of legal advice for upcoming tribunals.

Pupils at Bright Futures School

Recently, the parents of six pupils at Bright Futures School for children with autism in Grasscroft were celebrating after the community helped them reach their initial target of £3,600.

Zoe Thompson, Head of Development at the school and also a parent, set up the crowdfunding page so they can make their case at Special Educational Needs tribunals.

The tribunals are seeking to secure home-based social communication provision via the children’s Education Health and Care plans.

Research has shown that if parents can be supported to work in a particular ‘social communication’ way in the family environment, the severity of their children’s autism can be reduced.

Now, there is an exciting line-up of fundraisers planned as they must hit their stretch target of £6,000 in the next 30 days.

Their next event will be held on Sunday, May 21 at Friezland Church Hall from 2pm until 5pm, with an enormous amount of family fun lined up alongside the fundraising auction.

The afternoon will involve face painting, hook a duck, chocolate fountain, chocolate tombola, a raffle and live entertainment provided by Gaynor Wilson and Paul McGladdery.

The auction, run by Mark Sharples, will start at 3pm, with generous donations from local companies including Lees Grotton One (hair and beauty), Wendy Rhodes (Holistic Therapy) Mark Gibbins (Photography), Temple Spar, Flitcraft Home Baked and many more.

The money raised will pay for legal guidance from a solicitor and legal representation from a barrister and any surplus will pay for special expert reports that will help families to secure this social communication input in their children’s EHC Plans.

Zoe said: “If we win these cases, we will share our legal arguments so that other families can use them to secure similar social communication provision in the home.”

Tickets for the Auction and Family Fun Day are priced at £2 for adults and £1 for children and are available from Bright Future’s School on 01457 878738 or email: office@brightfuturesschool.co.uk

Find out more about their fundraising and make a donation on their CrowdJustice page online.

 

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