Welcome to the March 2023 edition of Disability Grants News - a monthly round up of highlights on the Disability Grants website and resources for anyone with a disability, caring for or working with disabled adults or children.

If you are new to the website and searching for grants please read the following pages before starting your search....

Adults- About Grants section

Children and Young People  - Grants for Disabled Children - An Introduction

Here are some of this month’s updates and additions.... 

Your Frequently Asked Questions with links to the relevant sections on the Disability Grants website.

Did you know that your may be able to claim VAT Relief for some of the items you buy for your disability. Find out more...

• Family Fund Mobility Support is a car lease scheme to help families of disabled or seriously ill children under 3 years old to meet their mobility needs. 

• The Ben Saunders Foundation provides holidays for families with a young adult or child with cancer and bereaved families at holiday homes in the Cotswolds.

• Dream Big Trust offers grants to improve the lives of vulnerable children, young people and adults. It has previously funded Makaton training and sensory items.

• Provisional dates for the Climbing Out 5 days programmes can be found on the Climbing Out website.  The charity supports anyone aged 18 years and over who is struggling to move forward following a mental or physical trauma.

• Over the Wall offers free therapeutic recreational activity camps for children and young people with a wide range of life limited illnesses and conditions.   It also runs Camp 365 offering online activities 365 days of the year.

• The Kaleidoscope Foundation provides education and training to disabled entrepreneurs through its Incubation Programme and grants up to £1,000 towards starting a social enterprise or small business.

• If you are aged 16-25, have a disability or impairment and live in Scotland, you can apply for a Technology Grant.

• The Neumark Foundation provides funding for projects in North Wales for children and young people up to 26 years in the areas of education, employability, wellbeing, isolation and/or social disadvantage.

• The Barnes Fund supports the community of Barnes in South West London.  It offers funding for essential household items, utility bills, furniture, school trips or uniform and food vouchers to individuals. Up to a maximum of £500.

• The Hertfordshire Children's Fund and Bowley Fund both managed by the Hertfordshire Community Foundation offer funding towards essential household items and white goods.

• The Harpenden Trust offers financial support to individuals and families in the Harpenden community with household items and utility bills.

• One Vision are offering food support for those who live in the Watford and Three Rivers area.

• From 4^th May 2023 voters in England will need to show photo ID at polling stations.  Acceptable forms of ID include a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass and a Blue Badge.  For those with no ID you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.  The Electoral Commission has produced an Easy Read Voter ID resource.

• The Scottish Government has launched a new website that advice during the cost of living crisis if you need help with money, food and fuel.

• Wheelpower run online sports events for exercise in your own home including wheelchair yoga and adaptive box-fit classes.  Book online through the website.

• RNIB Bookshare provides textbooks and materials in accessible formats to support the UK curriculum.  Available to students with either a visual impairment, learning disability or physical disabled where it affects the use of printed materials.  The resource is also free to educators in the UK who support print disabled learners.

• Carers UK have updated their factsheets and guides for carers including information on financial and practical support.

• Know your rights with a Summary of Disability Discrimination from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

• Into Apprenticeships from Disability Rights UK is a guide for disabled people, parents and key advisers about applying for apprenticeships in England.  Free to download.

• Contact has new Introduction to the Disability Living Allowance available in English, Polish, Somalian and Arabic for parents of children with additional needs.  It also has a more detailed guide that goes through the application form question by question.

• A reminder about our colouring book for kids "Everyone's Different" with positive images of children with additional needs.  It's a digital download so can be used multiple times.  Great for teachers!

Please don't forget that Disability Grants is a shared resource where everyone helps each other..... So, do participate and share your knowledge and experiences.

Help and Be Helped

All the best

Julia Tyrrell

Founder of Disability Grants

Are there topics you would like the newsletter to cover? Tell us how Disability Grants can improve so we can help you more in the future.

Email: contact@disability-grants.org

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