Aim

Bringing inclusive play, social opportunities and family connections directly into communities through two specially adapted buses.

Two Buses, One Mission.

Believe • Understand • Support

One bus was donated by First Bus Group. One bus was bought. Now we need your help to bring both to life.

I'm Tro, Founder of Kidz Craze Community CIC, a SEND parent and someone who understands first-hand the challenges families can face when trying to access everyday activities and opportunities.

Kidz Craze was born from lived experience, determination and a simple belief: every child and young person deserves opportunities to play, make friends, socialise and feel included.

I didn't want to just talk about the gaps in our community. I wanted to do something about them.

Why Kidz Craze is needed

When my son was younger, he had little awareness of the children around him. At soft play, he would sometimes run straight through other children. This caused upset and brought judgement and difficult experiences for us as a family.

Afterwards, he needed somewhere to regulate, but often this meant trying to manage his needs in a busy, noisy café.

It made me realise that simply allowing a child through the door doesn't mean they've been included.

I've also experienced the difference that being with peers can make.

Two years ago, I took him to a Halloween disco at a mainstream social club with friends and seven other children. All seven children made friends, while he spent much of the experience on his own, with nobody approaching him.

Today, when I take him to SEND discos, the difference is incredible. He makes friends, enjoys himself and feels comfortable being who he is.

Inclusion isn't simply giving someone access to a space. It's creating an environment where they feel comfortable, accepted and able to be themselves.

Getting there can be just as difficult as being there

For many SEND families, public transport can be overwhelming. Noise, crowds, unfamiliar surroundings and unexpected changes can cause sensory overload before an activity has even started.

Sometimes children arrive already distressed and dysregulated, making an outing that should be enjoyable an exhausting experience.

That's why Kidz Craze will take opportunities directly into different communities on designated days, rather than expecting every family to travel to them.

We want to make accessing activities easier, bring opportunities closer to home and reach families who might otherwise miss out.

🚌 Our first bus: Sensory Soft Play – £50,000

We want to transform our bus into an inclusive sensory play environment, providing:

• Specialist sensory equipment.
• Inclusive soft play.
• Calming and quiet spaces.
• Opportunities to explore, play and develop.
• An environment that recognises different sensory and support needs.

A place where children can enjoy being children and families can feel welcome without worrying about judgement.

🎤 Our second bus: SEND Social Inclusion – £30,000

But what happens when these children grow up?

When young people with SEND reach 18, 19, 20 or 21, where are they supposed to go to socialise, make friends and enjoy their free time?

For many parents and carers, the thought of their young person going into town independently can bring genuine concerns about safety, vulnerability and whether they're ready for that level of independence.

But that doesn't mean they should miss out.

Our Social Inclusion Bus will provide a dedicated social venue with:

• A downstairs dance floor.
• Karaoke and entertainment.
• An upstairs café.
• Calm seating and social spaces.

A place to meet friends, build confidence, enjoy shared interests and develop meaningful connections.

This bus will travel to different communities and remain parked while providing a dedicated social venue. It will not transport passengers. Instead, it will bring social opportunities, entertainment and a welcoming space directly to young people with SEND.

It's about the whole family too

We mustn't forget the parents and carers behind every child.

For many families, going out can involve anxiety, planning, worry and the fear of judgement. Some gradually stop visiting places altogether because they feel their child isn't welcome or their needs aren't understood.

Families can become isolated, not because they want to stay at home, but because finding somewhere genuinely suitable feels so difficult.

At Kidz Craze, we want parents and carers to meet others who understand. People who know what sensory overload looks like, understand the challenges and don't need everything explaining.

We want children to make friendships, parents to make connections and families to enjoy experiences together.

Sometimes the person who needs a little breathing space is the parent too.

Bringing communities together

Our buses will also be available to local community groups, organisations, charities and specialist providers when they aren't booked for dedicated sessions.

We want to make the spaces useful community assets, creating opportunities for partnerships, activities and connections across Bristol.

Two buses, two different purposes, creating opportunities for children, young people and families across our communities.

Our fundraising target – £80,000

We need to raise:

• £50,000 to convert and equip the Sensory Soft Play Bus.
• £30,000 to convert and equip the SEND Social Inclusion Bus.

Our overall fundraising goal is £80,000. Our first milestone is to raise £5,000, helping us take the first significant step towards transforming both buses.

One bus was purchased through personal sacrifice and determination. The other was generously donated by First Bus Group.

Both buses have been delivered. We've already had businesses and organisations show support, and we're continuing to bring people together to make these projects happen.

Now we need your help.

We're welcoming financial donations, equipment, materials, professional skills, services and business partnerships.

Every contribution will help move us closer to making these opportunities a reality.

How you can help

You can donate, share our campaign, introduce us to businesses or help spread the word.

If you can't donate, sharing our story could help us reach someone who can.

This is about the child who wants to play without being judged.

The teenager who wants somewhere to meet friends.

The young adult who deserves opportunities to socialise.

The parent who wants to enjoy an outing without feeling isolated or on edge.

And the families who simply want somewhere they feel they belong.

Help us turn two buses into opportunities, friendships and experiences that can make a lasting difference.

Kidz Craze Community CIC

BELIEVE • UNDERSTAND • SUPPORT 💛

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 27th December 2026 at 4:38pm