A friendly support group for children with Down Syndrome and their families has received a perfect 10th birthday present from Alloy Wire International (AWI).
Up and Downs, which was formed as an official charity by mums Diane Hughes and Jemma Sagar in November 2014, has become the latest beneficiary of the company’s ‘Wired for Good’ campaign that has donated over £55,000 to a host of local community groups and organisations.
The latest £5000 donation will make a massive difference to the group, which provides more than 60 families across Birmingham, the Black Country and Worcestershire with access to peer-to-peer support and subsidised activities that a child with DS may not get in a mainstream setting.
Importantly, the group can also offer heavily subsidised training with Jemma being a qualified Makaton Tutor. This is crucial as many of the children will have communication difficulties and introducing them to sign at a young age is crucial, as is involving parents and the grandparents.
“When I received the phone call from AWI I was in utter shock – it was very overwhelming,” explained Diane Hughes, whose 15-year-old son Sam is a brilliant swimmer and a massive Wolves fan.
“Like lots of charities, we were hit hard during the pandemic and we had to give up our office due to rising costs and sadly had to cancel some of the big events we had planned.”
Fellow founder Jemma went on to add: “Thankfully we now have our hub at a great dance studio and this money from Alloy Wire International will help us subsidise some of the fantastic activities we’ve got arranged, including a Glow up Disco, a private Breakfast with Santa at The Swan Inn at Upton Warren and a FunTime Theatre panto for lots of families.
“It will also ensure we can continue our monthly get-togethers. These are a friendly and welcoming space for parents to come together, to talk, share experiences and challenges.
“All our children have their own personalities and different requirements. For instance, whilst Diane’s son is big into his football my lad Harry is a competitive ballroom and Latin dancer.
“We’re here for everyone and we know the difference this type of peer-to-peer support can make.”
Up and Downs is Alloy Wire International’s 10th donation as part of its ‘Wired for Good’
campaign, which it launched two years ago to mark its 75th birthday.
The idea was to provide local charities and community groups with vital funds to help them continue their work supporting individuals near where the company operates.
So far, this has seen it help Guide Dogs, Fisher House, Sands, Mary Stevens Hospice, the Chris Westwood Charity for Children with Physical Disabilities, the Giving Hands Mission, Acorns Children’s Hospice, and male mental health help group ‘Tough Enough to Care’.
Tom Mander, Managing Director of AWI, said: “Up and Downs gives so many families a vital lifeline to work through the challenges they face and, importantly, the opportunity to enjoy so many new opportunities.
“We always like to fund charities close to where our staff live and work – we also know this £5k is going to make such a difference. It’s also fitting that a group just a few miles from our factory is our 10th ‘Wired for Good’ recipient.”
Kathryn Haywood – Rory’s mom’s story
“We found out Rory would have Down Syndrome when I was about 24 weeks pregnant.
“They had discovered some other health problems at my 20-week scan and referred me to Birmingham Women’s Hospital (BWH) for further tests. I was scanned weekly after that until he was born at 33 weeks.
“Initially, we were scared and worried, but the midwife at BWH signposted us to Up and Downs. I contacted Jemma and she put me in touch with a family that lived locally to us.
From that moment the charity has been a huge part of our lives. Rory has loved the trips, parties and activities and we have found the support invaluable.
“We have made friends for life. The things that have made the biggest difference to us are the Makaton training sessions, which are subsidised heavily, access to resources/equipment that are too expensive to purchase and the wealth of knowledge within the group.
“There is also a closed community on social media where members can ask questions, get advice or post information – there is always someone who has been through something similar to offer support when it is needed most.
“We are so fortunate and grateful to have Up and Downs where we live, as many parts of the country don’t have such an active and positive support network.”
For further information on Up and Downs visit www.facebook.com/upanddownswm. More details on Alloy Wire International can be found at www.alloywire.com
