#SaveOrangeSchemes 

For 40 years, Challengers has been breaking down barriers to play by providing safe spaces for disabled children and young people to have fun and make friends.   

Today, our charity and our Challengers family face an unprecedented threat.  

The isolation that we have fought so hard to end for disabled young people and their families is now an upsetting, daily reality. 

Due to growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, we were forced to close all of our play, youth and young adult schemes for the foreseeable future. Without these, many of our families are struggling to cope. 

"Your social isolation will last a few months. My child's could last a lifetime"

When the pandemic threat has passed, we must be in a position to re-open as many of our services as we can, providing vital play and social opportunities for our young people, and giving their families access to crucial respite from their care responsibilities.   

We need your help. The coronavirus pandemic has had an immediate and unimaginable impact on our financial position, leaving the future of Challengers in the balance.   

We rely on donations for half of our yearly income. Within just a few months, we are seeing a shortfall of £150,000 directly from cancelled fundraising events and activities. Without this funding, the charity simply will not survive. 

It is crucial that Challengers continues as a lifeline of support to the thousands of families that depend on us.   

Every £155 raised will pay for a day of activities, friendships and fun for a disabled young person.

We are reaching out to you to help save Challengers. Please help us #SaveOrangeSchemes.

Play changes lives and every penny donated to Challengers will make a difference, there are many ways for you to show your support today:

• Ask 5 friends to donate £5, see if they can ask 5 more!
• Share our appeal with your friends, family and colleagues 
• Follow our social media pages to spread the word!

Your generous donation will help Challengers to re-build a sustainable service which supports families both now and in the future. All donations received from this appeal will support the charity as a whole and will not support specific schemes or services.

"Challengers saved our lives! Our son isn't in school, so Challengers is his only form of social interaction and he absolutely loves going there!" - Parent

ABOUT US 

We believe that play is something that everyone should be able to enjoy, but certain barriers can prevent many disabled children and their families from playing – such as a lack of of accessible play facilities or a lack of support. 

We remove the barriers to play by providing inclusive, exciting and fun play and leisure opportunities for disabled children and young people aged 2-25 across the South East. Everyone can come along and have fun at our schemes, no matter how complex their needs are or if they are on a 'disability register'. 

Play is an important part of everyday life, especially for children and young people: 

• Play helps us develop our physical and mental health. 
• Play helps us 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 many disabled children and young people do not have 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 the public do not understand the challenges they face (Disabled Children’s Partnership 2017).

At our schemes, children and young people engage in fun activities and make friends in a safe and inclusive environment. 

At the same time, families can use these short breaks to get essential respite from their care responsibilities. Giving them the opportunity to do daily tasks such as food shopping, or spend time with their other children. 

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 25 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.  

Play changes lives and every penny donated to Challengers will make a difference, there are many ways for you to show your support today:

• Ask 5 friends to donate £5, see if they can ask 5 more!
• Share our appeal with your friends, family and colleagues 
• Follow our social media pages to spread the word!

Your generous donation will help Challengers to re-build a sustainable service which supports families both now and in the future. All donations received from this appeal will support the charity as a whole and will not support specific schemes or services.