During the summer, a team of eleven colleagues from Stirling Maynard Consulting Engineers travelled into the Northern wilderness to conquer the tallest mountain in England! Scafell Pike measures 978m (3,209 ft) high and is home to the highest standing water in England, known as Broad Crag Tarn.
On the 10th September 2024 the BBC reported that hundreds of children with special educational needs (SEN) are completely missing from education in England, analysis suggests.
Children with SEN make up 22% of the 2,900 children not enrolled at a school or being suitably educated elsewhere - which is disproportionately high, as 16% of children in state education have SEN, the report says.
Children's commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, who produced it, said provision for children with SEN was “the number one thing that needs sorting out alongside attendance to make sure our kids can go to school”.
The Department for Education said the report showed there were "far too many children falling through the cracks".
On a sunny afternoon in August we had a very exciting visit from the Strictly Come Dancing film crew and one of this years' contestants, Nick Knowles!
Nick has been a huge supporter of Little Miracles since 2013 when, along with the BBC DIYSOS team, he built our Head Office as part of the Children in Need Million Pound Build.
(BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing Launch Show 2024)
When asked what returning to Little Miracles meant to him, Nick said;
“It was so lovely to revisit Little Miracles and see how both the children and the charity have grown. To walk through the Chris Beardshaw designed gardens and the Nina Campbell designed interiors and see it all being put to maximum use to improve the lives of the young people and families the centre looks after.
I was also so touched by the support of the kids and staff for my time on Strictly - I’m going to work extra hard and do my best to stay in the competition as long as possible to give them someone to cheer for on Saturday nights.
It’s impossible to overstate the difference Michelle and her team make to so many people’s lives day in and day out and I urge anyone in the area who can to support Little Miracles.
I was overjoyed to find the local fire service and military units along with other companies who helped us build still involved in maintaining the centre.
My DIY SOS family and I send our love and support to them all and once again all praise must go to the hundreds of volunteer trades and suppliers who with their generosity made the building of the wonderful Little Miracles centre possible 11 years ago”
Nick was very excited to be taking part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing and chose Little Miracles as the location for his section of the launch show which was aired on Saturday night. Up until now we have been sworn to secrecy, but now that the show has launched we cannot wait to support Nick as much as possible! We think that alongside his partner, Luba Mushtuk, they have a huge chance of getting all the way to Blackpool, and beyond!
Everyone at Little Miracles wishes Nick all the luck in the world and will be voting for him every week! If you would like to vote for Nick (for free) so that he can "keeeeeeeep dancing!" please follow the link below.
On Saturday 28th September our South Holland branch will be hosting a fundraising ball!
The theme for the night is 'Black Tie with a Hollywood Theme', so what better way to kickstart the autumn than to gather a group of friends or colleagues and dance the night away?!
There are different ticket prices available, all of which include a welcome drink, a deluxe three-course meal and a fabulous night of entertainment. There will also be a raffle and silent auction.
Table sponsorship packages are available at £75 per table and will fund the wine for the table and welcome drinks. Table sponsors will receive advertising and reduced-price entry tickets.
Members of Little Miracles will also receive reduced-price tickets.
So grab your tickets now and let's have a ball! All in aid of local families who have children with additional needs, disabilities and life-limiting conditions.
Please note that this is an 18+ event.
Any questions please call 01406 709508 or email holbeach@littlemiraclescharity.org.uk.
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We sometimes hear about parachute jumps, pub quizzes or bake sales to raise much-needed funds, however Valerie had a wildly different idea and decided to abseil down the world’s tallest Abseil Tower raising an impressive £1,054.50 for Little Miracles!
For Valerie, the decision to abseil was not an easy one. Standing at 418 feet, the abseil tower she chose is the highest in the world—a daunting height for anyone, let alone someone who has never abseiled before.
When asked why she chose Little Miracles Valerie said:
"Because I saw first hand the amazing work they do, supporting families and children. Everyone was so excited and happy when they came into our pottery painting studio and I could feel how much love was shared between everyone."
Little Miracles provides a safe environment where children can participate in activities and therapies that support their development and well-being. We also offer essential services to families, including counselling, family support, educational guidance and friendship groups. These services are a lifeline for parents, giving them the support and community they need to navigate the challenges they face.
In the run-up to the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, we are thrilled to be able to share a message to the children of Little Miracles from Dave Clarke, the Chief Executive of Paralympics GB.
Dave Clarke represented his country 144 times in blind football scoring a record 128 goals in the process. He competed for ParalympicsGB at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympic Games and also in Goalball at Atlanta 1996.
In his message to our children, Dave said:
"Sport is for everybody, but, if you want to be the best at your sport then you have to work hard and you have to never give-up. You also have to really try hard to keep focused, and if anybody tries to put you off by saying you shouldn't be included you have to really say "no, this space is for me, I want to do this sport and I'm going to be the best I can be". Put your whole heart into it and I'm sure you will be brilliant at it"
On behalf of everyone at Little Miracles we would like to say a huge thank you to Dave for taking the time to send us a message.
We would love to hear how the sports that your family are involved with or which Paralympic sport you find most inspiring. Email your stories, videos or photos to fundraising@littlemiraclescharity.org.uk
Our Corporate Ambassador Spotlight for July is URBN.
In the heart of Peterborough, Thrive Jiu-Jitsu is making waves — not just on the mats, but in the community as well. As the city's fastest-growing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu group, Thrive is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of their needs or skill levels, can train and grow.
On June 22nd, five daring members of Thrive took a leap of faith... literally. Participating in our 'Big Little Miracles Jump,' these brave individuals helped raise an astonishing £5,003 for Little Miracles Charity! But the dedication of Thrive's members didn't stop there. Three more members, Sam, Charlotte, and Harry, undertook the formidable challenge of walking 100km continuously over 24 hours, raising an additional £2,897.
In just a few short months, Thrive has raised a total of £7,900 for Little Miracles. This incredible achievement highlights the spirit and generosity of our community, and Little Miracles couldn't be more grateful.
Naomi, a coach at Thrive, shared her thoughts.
"At Thrive, we believe in giving back to our local community. We are thrilled to have raised such a significant amount for Little Miracles, making a difference for both the children and their parents."
The events were not only successful in terms of fundraising but also in fostering a sense of fun and solidarity amongst participants. Knowing that their efforts were for such a worthy cause made even the terrifying moments, like jumping out of a plane, entirely worthwhile.
Thank you to everyone who supported these efforts. Your contributions are making a real difference to the lives of families of children with additional needs, disabilities and lief-limiting conditions in our community.
Here's to many more challenging, yet exciting events in the future!
On July 5th, St Ivo Academy held an event for their students over lunch to have fun and raise money for two charities, Little Miracles, and Young Minds. The students picked Little Miracles as one of their chosen charities as they wanted to help children in their local community of St Ives, and the opening of a new branch in the area. In addition, the academies House System is also made up of bright colours similar to the Little Miracles rainbow logo!
In this employee spotlight series, we catch up with various members of the team to talk about their personal and professional experiences with Little Miracles. This month, a member of our Fundraising team, Vicki O’Brien caught up with Krista Dolmane, our Finance Manager. Krista started working at Little Miracles in March and is based at Head Office.