Families United

BLOGS

Well that’s a wrap on 2022!!

2022 the year normality 
made a return
After a difficult couple of years we finally made it ‘back to normal land” or “new normal” as the news kept telling us. It was welcomed with open arms by our FUN Families with huge appreciation for how much each member of our families need and want the opportunity to have FUN!
In 2022, we continued four of our treasured projects:
  • FUN Club – Activities, crafts and music held at Warrington Play & Sensory Centre
  • Puddle Family Retreat – health and wellbeing focused sessions held at the amazing The Puddle project in Burtonwood
  • Parent Focus Art Therapy – well needed time out for parents with Bloomingart
  • Sport Works Sport & Swim – weekly sessions held at Woolston LiveWire hub
Last year we improved and extended our offer by including school holiday sessions for FUN Club, Puddle Family Retreat and Sport Works with the support of WBC HAF funding.
The animal therapy six month project had a bumpy start as we struggled to find a venue that was open and had availability. But once we overcame this, the project was a great success with children squealing with delight as they met Zoolabs animals and some parents hiding away from the giant cockroach & scorpion!!
Art Therapy saw parents sketch a giraffe, paint Henri Matisse’ The Goldfish, palette paint oceans and design their own Christmas cards.
We visited some old favourites including CAFT, The Catalyst Museum, Alton Towers, Chester Zoo and Barnstondale.
For Christmas 40 families visited Chester Zoo Lanterns, ten watched a Christmas film at Lucem cinema, 26 families joined us for two FUN Clubs and over 50 families met Santa at The Puddle Project, take a look at the FUN they had https://fb.watch/hXABTKJb6C/
We handed out over 60 food parcels from Gousto to families and successfully funded for supermarket vouchers per child to ease the cost-of-living crisis.
Families have met with old and new friends, have talked to each other sharing strategies and experiences of their trials and tribulations. At the start of the year, we nominated a new Chair of Trustees and more recently recruited a new trustee. Four of our five trustees have a disabled child that gives them invaluable insight and drive for managing FUN and our funding coordinator has worked with the charity for nearly 20 years.
Funding is difficult, especially for small charities such as FUN due to limited resources but as we enter our 20th year we are determined to succeed. We are thankful for the great partnerships and incredible people supporting our small charity and cannot wait to see what we can do in 2023 by working together and strengthening those partnerships to ensure our families can continue to have FUN!
Tale a look below for what happened in 2022……………
Our Exciting Programme Of Events For 2022

January

FUN Club – Sat 15th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Parent Focus – Sat 22nd @ Bloomingart

Family Respite – Sun 30th @ The Puddle Project

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

February

Lucem Cinema, Raya & The Last Dragon – Wed 23rd @ 11.30am

FUN Club – Sat 5th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Family Respite – 20th @ The Puddle Project

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

March

Pot Gang 3m Subscription – Home Activity

FUN Club – Sun 6th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Parent Focus Art Therapy – 5th March

Family Respite – 20th @ The Puddle Project

British Science Week – 20th @ Catalyst Museum

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

Children Adventure Farm Trust Residential Stay – 25th-27th March

April

FUN Club – Sat 2nd @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Lucem Cinema – Clifford The Big Red Dog – Fri 8th @ 11.30am

Parent Focus Art – Saturday 9th 2pm-5pm @ Bloomingart

Family Respite – 17th @ The Puddle Project – Easter Hunt

Animal Therapy – 23rd April 2-4pm – Fearnhead Community Centre

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

May

FUN Club – Sun 1st @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Parent Focus – Saturday 14th  2-5pm @ Bloomingart

Parent Focus – Book Club – Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

Family Respite – 14th @ The Puddle Project

Animal Therapy – 21st May 2-4pm – Fearnhead Community Centre

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

June

FUN Club – Sat 4th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Circus Starr – Sat 4th June at 1.30pm

Jubilee Celebration Party – Sun 5th June

Parent Focus – TBC

Gruffalo – Sat 11th June @ Parr Hall

Family Respite – 18th or 19th @ The Puddle Project

Animal Therapy – 25th June 2-4pm – Fearnhead Community Centre

The Puddle Project takes FUN to Cineworld to watch Lightyear – Sat 25th

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

July

FUN Club – Sun 3rd @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Parent Focus – TBC

Family Respite –  16th or 17th @ The Puddle Project

Animal Therapy – 23rd July 2-4pm – Fearnhead Community Centre

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

August

HAF Session in partnership with WBC and Puddle Project: Family Retreat held on the 12th, 19th & 26th August, and 2nd Sept

HAF Session in partnership with WBC & Sport Works: Drop off respite held 28th July, 4th, 18th & 25th August

Summer FUN Club held each Friday from 30th July to the 26th August

FUN Club – Sat 6th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

FUN Club – each Friday of the school holidays

Parent Focus – Saturday 20th @ Bloomingart

Parent Focus – Book Club – Girl, Women, Other

Family Respite – Sunday 21st @ The Puddle Project

Geronimo Festival

Alton Towers Merlins Magic Wand Tickets

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

September

FUN Club – Sun 4th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Parent Focus – Sat 17th

Family Respite – 17th or 18th @ The Puddle Project

Animal Therapy – 24th September 2-4pm – Fearnhead Community Centre

Barnstondale Activity Away Day – Sunday 25th

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

October

FUN Club – Sat 1st @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

FUN Club – PMLD Focus – Sunday 9th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Family Respite – Sunday 23rd @ The Puddle Project Spooktacular!

Half Term FUN Club – Thursday 27th 4pm-6pm

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

November

FUN Club – Sun 6th @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Parent Focus – 19th November 2pm-5pm

Family Respite – 19th or 20th @ The Puddle Project

Chester Zoo Lanterns – Sat 26th ~6pm

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

December

FUN Club – Sat 3rd @ Warrington Play & Sensory Centre

Lucem Cinema Christmas Film – Saturday 17th – Arthur Christmas

Parent Focus – Saturday 3rd 2pm – 5pm

Sport & Swim sessions are held each Sunday with Sport Works @ Woolston Live Wire hub

HAF Sport Works Sessions – TBC

Exclusive Magical Christmas @ The Puddle Project 8th, 13th, 15th, 20th & 22nd

FUN Club – Thurs 29th 10am – 12pm – Play & Sensory Centre