++++LIFERS RALLYING CALL: PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THIS GOOD CHARLTON CAUSE++++

I’m sure many of you are aware that TODAY, the Charlton Upbeats programme Kick Start for Life run by our Community Scheme is entered in a regional competition where funding is ‘won’ according to public votes.

I’m sure there are many like me who have uncertainties about attaching competition to good causes and fund raising, but this particular strand of work it relates to really does make a difference to a group of kids lives, and the possibility is it may not continue without securing the required funding.

Every week, our Community Scheme provides sessions for local kids that suffer from Down’s Syndrome.

There are around 60 young people on the register with the ages ranging from 5-26 yrs. The programme has been greatly received both by both young people and their parents. Feedback from parents is that they get a well earned break where they can spend time with other parents who have children with Downs. It gives them a chance to have downtime but also seeing their children bonding with peers, coaches without the parents input is hugely rewarding for them.

There are also huge benefits to young people with regular exercise, rising self-esteem and confidence, making new friends, belonging to a club etc

So far, the Community Trust has been funding the programme, and is now seeking a grant of £37,880 to continue and extend its work.

It has been paired in the Cultivating Quality for Disabled People category of the People’s Millions TV Show with the Essex-based Papworth Trust hoping to win £31,459 to provide a community garden in urban Basildon that would be accessible to people with limited mobility.

If successful in winning the extra money from the People's Millions the funding will allow expansion of the programme. This will mean including speech therapy sessions bolted onto Football sessions, extra sessions for siblings (often overlooked) to run alongside the Downs programme, other activities to include dance, boxercise, etc.

Further to this the young people will also be involved in planned environmental days where the coaches, young people and parents will all work alongside Bexley, Greenwich and Kent county councils to improve and designated facility in each borough/county

Further background information can be found on the Club’s official site, and the two programmes will be featured on London Tonight at 6pm tonight.

The phonelines are open from 9am – midnight today only and the number to call is:

0871 626 88 47

Please give up 30 seconds of your day, and try and coax some friends and family to help support the one aspect of our club that continuously delivers.

Cheers guys

(calls cost 10p per call from BT landlines, mobiles higher)