“I’m pleased to announce my charity this year is the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity. They are a local charity focussed on supporting children under five with cerebral palsy and other motor learning disabilities. They provide a range of therapy, including physiotherapy, speech and language and other support services. Importantly, they provide wrap-around care for the families, where parents may find it difficult to get the specialist support needed of their child. I’ve been a supporter of the charity for a while as their services were critical in supporting my nephew who was born with cerebral palsy. Fundraising for this charity will allow them to continue the excellent work they do for children and families in our area.”
To celebrate their new relationship, Duncan attended a session at Dame Vera Lynn Children's Charity on Friday 6th June, where he was able to joyfully meet and spend time with some of the families he would support through his fundraising.
Glenys Creese, CEO of Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity said: “We are so grateful to Cllr. Pascoe for selecting Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity to be this year’s Mayoral charity. With no statutory funding, every penny matters as it can be life-changing for the 80+ children we support each week. As well as raising vital funds, this is also a wonderful opportunity to put a spotlight on our work so more families who need our help can reach out to us. We very much look forward to building a closer relationship with Haywards Heath Town Council, the local community and we are excited to see what the year ahead will bring.
Dame Vera Lynn Children's Charity (DVLCC) supports children under-five with cerebral palsy, chromosome abnormalities and rare genetic disorders. The charity is the largest organisation of its kind in the UK, providing a holistic service including physiotherapy/conductive education, music therapy, speech and language therapy, rebound therapy, hydrotherapy and Portage accredited home-play sessions. Haywards Heath Mayor, Duncan Pascoe’s decision to choose DVLCC as his charity of the year will help to raise vital funds to support families across Sussex and beyond."
The Mayor and Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity will be holding some fun filled fundraising events across the year, including ‘Walk Together’ on Saturday 6 September and a Quiz Night held on Friday 17 October. Further details will be announced in due course on the Haywards Heath Town Council website and social medias channels.
The Mayor is looking for sponsors to make his charity fundraising events possible. Packages are available at a selection of costs. If you can help, or to find out more, please email imogen.wilson@haywardsheath.gov.uk.