Challengers Christmas Wish

#ChallengersChristmasWish

Our wish this Christmas is for all children to have access to play. 

We believe that play is vital to every child's happiness and development, but sadly there are many barriers which mean that disabled children are excluded and miss out on play every day. 

At Challengers, we break down these barriers for disabled children and young people by providing fun, safe and fully inclusive play and leisure schemes that everyone can enjoy. 

This year has been challenging for everyone, not least for disabled children and their families. More than ever, we understand how devastating isolation can be and why our work, bringing disabled children together to make friends and have fun, is so important. 

Our Christmas wish is for all disabled children to play and have fun at Challengers.  

Help make our wish a reality by donating to our Christmas appeal today. 

Your generous donation could help us to buy the items on our Christmas wish list, supporting accessible and inclusive play for all children in 2021 at Challengers.

ABOUT US 

Challengers is a local charity which is passionate about enabling fun and inclusive play opportunities for disabled children and young people. 

We offer exciting play and leisure schemes for children aged 2 - 18 across the South. Everyone can come along and have fun at Challengers, and our non-exclusion policy means that we will never turn a child away, no matter how complex their needs.  

Why play? 

• Play is an important part of everyday life, especially for children and young people
• Play contributes to our physical and mental development, and benefits our health 
• Through play, we learn social skills to improve our relationships with friends and develop new ones 
• Play helps us grow our confidence and self-esteem

Play is proven to have all of these benefits, yet too many disabled children and young people are denied access to play.  

86% of disabled children do not have access to regular play or leisure activities (Contact Report 2015) and 97% of parents with a disabled child say that the public do not understand the challenges they face (Disabled Children’s Partnership 2017). 

At Challengers schemes, children and young people engage in fun activities and make friends in a safe and inclusive environment. Our services also offer families essential respite from their demanding care responsibilities, giving them the opportunity to do daily tasks such as food shopping, spend time friends or their other children, or have a much-needed break. 

Families have told us that Challengers is a lifeline which keeps them strong. 

"Finally we have a place to go where I know my child is understood, well looked after and safe. I get time to myself knowing that my child is OK.” - Parent

OUR VISION 

A world where all children and young people can play together, freely. 

OUR MISSION 

To provide truly inclusive, fun and safe places where all disabled children and young people can spend time with their friends.  To offer a positive impact for families and the wider community.

OUR GOALS AND VALUES 

• Providing truly inclusive, fun and safe places where all disabled children and young people aged up to 18 years can spend time with their friends. 
• Providing a positive impact for families and the wider community alongside service delivery across South East England. 
• To never exclude a child or young person and ensuring services are designed to meet the needs and desires of everyone that uses our services. 
• Delivering high quality training, employment and volunteering opportunities that are developed to enhance the well-being of disabled children and young people. 
• Educating all staff to help them understand disability and take those views into society to help shape and change perception. 
• Leading by example and being a champion for inclusion by offering training, information and guidance so that others can do the same. 
• Providing other services that enable the charity to deliver support to young people and contribute towards achieving the vision of a world where all disabled children and young people can play together freely.  

Your generous donation will help Challengers continue to provide a lifeline of support to so many children and families. 

All donations received from this appeal will support the charity as a whole and will not support specific schemes or services.

ROCK CHOIR 

People who love to sing, love Rock Choir.  No auditions are needed, there’s no need to read music. Everyone is welcome.  It’s all about singing, fun, community, friendship and life changing experiences. Rock Choir started 15 tears ago in Farnham and now has Choir Leaders teaching all over the UK to thousands of people!  During lockdown we have adapted our rehearsals so we can teach online. We are committed to keeping spirits up, keeping everyone learning and entertained and keeping us all connected and together when we have to be apart.
If you’d like to sing with Rock Choir you can find out more at www.RockChoir.com