A grant of £11,848 will support young girls with spina bifida to be better educated about their complex disability.
Funding of £11,848 has been awarded by the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People, a European grant-making trust based in London, to Shine in Peterborough, to enable the first year of a new project to proceed.
Shine’s ‘Benny Bear’ has already become a very successful way of engaging young people with the physical and learning disabilities spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Benny Bear (who has hydrocephalus) writes a blog, has booklets and an activity book, and sends out birthday cards. Children with the disabilities can become a member of the Benny Bear Club, which supports them and their parents.
Shine has adapted the Benny Bear concept to create ‘Bella Bear’, a character with spina bifida. Funding from the DM Thomas Foundation will enable the charity to create new ‘Bella Bear’ educational resources targeted towards young girls with this disability aged 0-11. It will also aid plans to create a new Benny and Bella Club to ensure equal representation of spina bifida and hydrocephalus.
Simon Sheehan, Director of the DM Thomas Foundation said: 'Through our grants programme we are able to support some amazing local and national youth causes like Shine. Our Grants Committee and Trustees liked the ambition of the Bella Bear project, and the way it seeks to address inclusion for both boys and girls affected by spina bifida. It is hoped that the new Benny and Bella Club will encourage a wide membership, increased awareness and support for children and their families.'
Kate Steele, Chief Executive of Shine said: 'We are delighted that the DM Thomas Foundation is supporting the introduction of Bella Bear to all of Shine’s young members, and their families. New educational materials based on this character will greatly enhance our existing support and improve the representation of young girls with spina bifida within the wider Shine community.'
The grant has been possible thanks to voluntary fundraising for the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People from Hilton hotels across the UK, including DoubleTree by Hilton in Cambridge. Gary Horvath from the hotel visited the project and said:
'What a fantastic charity. I really enjoyed visiting Shine and learning more about their work. The Benny Bear project is colourful, imaginative and useful – the Bella Bear project should hopefully offer support for young girls affected by spina bifida. I am delighted that through our voluntary fundraising support of the DM Thomas Foundation our hotel has been able to contribute to this project.'
For further information contact Louise James at the DM Thomas Foundation on E: louise.james@dmtfyp.org or Debra Chand at Shine on E: debra.chand@shinecharity.org
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