A charity in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, founded by parents with disabled children, has received a £25,000 donation from entertainment company with a social purpose, Omaze, following its recent house draw in the area.
The beneficiary of the donation is Ryedale Special Families (RSF), an independent charity that for over 25 years has been supporting children and young people, aged from birth to 25 - with a wide range of disabilities and additional needs, complex medical needs, physical disabilities, and learning disabilities from mild to severe.
Omaze was introduced to the charity by Kevin Hollinrake MP for Thirsk and Malton and the Shadow Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and its contribution is a vital final stage of funding to help the RSF make its new state of the art centre operational, which it began building in 2023, to provide a more accessible, all round service.
The donation from Omaze will fund the creation of two sensory rooms that will provide families with access to specialist equipment that is otherwise unavailable locally.
One room will be designed as a calming, relaxing space, while the other will offer a stimulating environment, both equipped with premium sensory products.Three accompanying therapy rooms will help individual children and young people with personalised support.
The charity offers support to the whole family, so everyone benefits – from the young person with the disability, to parents, carers, brothers, sisters and grandparents.
The key services on offer include practical support and advice for families, family activities and support groups, specialist social groups. It also provides a flexible care service - that helps children and young people with disabilities develop independence and socialise, giving the family a break from 24-hour caring and supporting resilience to prevent family breakdown.
Having started with a core group of 22 families in 1997, its fundamental principles have not changed, with its work being overseen by nine trustees, seven of whom are local parents of disabled children and young people, alongside six office staff, 40 support staff and a dedicated team of 65 volunteers.
The charity now supports over 400 families in Ryedale, North Yorkshire and their children coping with profound disabilities, complex health needs, long term illnesses, moderate learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders and a range of emotional and behavioural disorders.
It is often asked to support people from other areas outside of Ryedale and unfortunately has to say no to them, as they currently do not have the resources to cope.
There has been such an increase in demand, that RSF is now seeing a new family asking for support each week. Finding sources of funding remains incredibly difficult for the organisation – meaning the charity has to work really hard to find income from lots of different sources, including its own fundraising events.
Omaze has a commitment to leaving a lasting legacy in the communities where its Grand Prize houses are located - in addition to the main donation for its House Draw charity partners – and is “delighted” to be supporting a very worthy local cause such as Ryedale Special Families.
Caroline Shepherdson, Chair of Trustees, Ryedale Special Families said: "On behalf of the trustees, staff, and families of Ryedale Special Families, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Omaze for the generous donation of £25,000 towards the construction of our new building.
“Their support is key in helping us create a space that will better serve the families and children who rely on our services.
“The new building will massively increase our ability to provide essential support and will make such a positive impact on our community.”
Kevin Hollinrake MP for Thirsk and Malton and the Shadow Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “Ryedale Special Families is a cornerstone of our community, providing vital support to hundreds of local families.
“This £25,000 donation from Omaze will ensure the charity can open its state-of-the-art centre, which will be transformative for so many children and their families in North Yorkshire.
“Having worked with them for many years, it's clear they have a lasting legacy in Ryedale and this donation is incredibly well deserved.”
Jo Pickard, Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is absolutely delighted we have been able to make a contribution to Ryedale Special Families, to help ensure that the amazing new space they are building will be able to provide the level of care that disabled children and their families desperately need in the area.
“I was honoured to visit the site where the new centre will be built, meeting the incredible team who are providing such a vital service.
"Omaze will continue to help more local causes in the areas where we host our house draws, wherever possible."
Omaze recently ran a house draw in Yorkshire – in which a six-bedroom house in Ryedale worth over £2,500,000 - along with £250,000 in cash, was won by a lucky charity worker from Dorset whilst also raising £3.9 million for learning disability charity Mencap.
A short video interview featuring Jo and husband Will seeing their new property for the first time is available to view and take from here.
Draw entries for the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Lake District, are available now at omaze.co.uk. The Draw closes on Boxing Day 26th December 2024 for online entries and Wednesday 1st January 2025 for postal entries.
