A CHESTER charity is celebrating a £7k grant from The National Lottery to help children with disabilities.

The team behind Children Today Charitable Trust is raising a glass in celebration after being awarded £7,000 in National Lottery funding to support its work.

The charity, based in Chestergates Business Park just outside Chester, will use the cash to fund life-changing pieces of adapted equipment for children and young people living with disabilities across the UK.

The grant has come at the perfect time as the small charity has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic as its fundraising income has been drastically reduced, yet the charity is receiving more applications for help from families in need than before.

Children Today was founded in 1994 and the charity has since supported over 4,500 families by helping fund specialised and adapted equipment for children and young people with disabilities up to the age of 25.

This equipment such as adapted trikes, powered wheelchairs and P-pod chairs helps children feel less isolated, embrace more independence and enjoy the best possible quality of life, yet can be costly.

Hugh McCaw, founder of Children Today, said: “Many children and young people with disabilities face isolation on a daily basis due to not having the right adapted equipment at home.

"Equipment like a specialist seating system to allow a severely disabled child to sit at a dinner table with their family instead of being confined to their wheelchair is truly life-changing, yet many families just simply can’t afford to pay for this equipment despite knowing the significant difference it could make to their lives.

"Children Today supports these families through the provision of this vital equipment, helping make a difference to the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of their child.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes, is the largest community funder in the UK awarding over £9billion to projects benefitting millions of people in the past 16 years.

Hugh added: “We are over the moon to have been selected by The National Lottery Community Fund for the first time, it means so much to our small charity.

"The grant will enable us to help fund life-changing pieces of adapted equipment for seven children or young people living with disabilities - which is just incredible.

“With more families needing our support to help reduce isolation during these difficult times, this Lottery funding will help us transform more lives for the better.

"Thanks to National Lottery players the funds will be able to help not just the individuals on our waiting list, but also their family members and friends too who will all benefit from the arrival of the new equipment.”

  • To support Children Today or are interested in applying for a grant, visit www.childrentoday.org.uk or call 01244 335622.