The spring months have been a busy time at Sullivan’s Heroes, with new applicants for support, together with many of the home adaptation projects progressing into their construction phases.
One such new applicant is 11-year-old Eman, who’s project for ‘Eman's New Extension’ involves extending the family home to create a downstairs bedroom and a bathroom to fulfil Eman's needs. Disabled Facilities Grant funding has been awarded through the council, but costs of the works leave a shortfall of £80,000 to meet the project costs.
As Eman’s parents advise:
“Eman is a princess of our family. She is going to be 12 this May. She is the centre of attention of our family and her two elder brothers love her so much. Eman is a very lively and happy girl. She is diagnosed with delayed global development, visual impairment and dislocated hips. Eman cannot walk, talk or do anything on her own and needs 24/7 care."
“We have a few adaptations which have been done by Trafford Council in previous years for Eman's needs. But they are not workable with Eman's growing age and special needs. So, we need to put some more adaptations in place.”
Meanwhile, numerous projects being supported by the charity have got underway as the spring sunshine arrived! ‘Teddy’s Space!’, to build a downstairs bedroom and wetroom for Teddy via a small extension and conversion of the dining area, commenced with their works thanks to a generous £10,000 donation taking the family to over a quarter of their fundraising goal, in less than a month!
Creation of Nevaeh’s ‘Sensory safe space’ has also begun – to provide a downstairs bedroom, sensory-safe space and wet room with changing facilities for the 11-year-old.
Funds kindly received from Florence Nightingale Aid in Sickness Trust enabled the safety flooring to be installed in the newly created bedroom and living area of ‘Amara’s forever home’, providing a safe and accessible space for Amara.
Whilst works for ‘Stewart's Forever Home’ have also commenced thanks to a generous donation from McDonalds in the Community Foundation to meet the remaining shortfall for extending and restructuring the family home to provide an accessible ground floor bedroom and bathroom for Stewart. Sullivan’s Heroes were also delighted to receive funding from McDonalds in the Community Foundation towards other projects being supported.
An ‘Independent life for Ben’ draws ever nearer with support for the project, to create a ground floor wet room plus bed room / safe space for the teenager, gratefully received from both Hospitality Action and Grocery Aid.
Another teen also saw funds boost their project’s target, with ‘An accessible home for Finlay’ receiving support from both NEU Trust Fund and Teaching Staff Trust, together with Channel 4 News featuring the family’s fundraising journey.
Last, but not least, we are uplifted to bring news of the latest completed adaptations project from Sullivan’s Heroes – with ‘A's New Wheelchair Accessible Lift’ now installed!
The provision of a through floor lift for 5-year-old A, who’s rare condition means he cannot walk unaided, left the family with a deficit above the council funding awarded for the installation.
A’s parents advised:
“A has little independent access to his home and relies on us to carry him upstairs to his bedroom and bathroom. One of the main challenges we faced caring for our son was moving him up and down the stairs safely, as the bigger he gets the harder it gets to carry him. It was becoming unmanageable and not good in promoting independence for him at home.”
“The new through the floor lift now gives him full independence at gaining access to upstairs and to come back down with his wheelchair, which we have never been able to do. All the controls are accessible for him and he is able to get safely from the ground level to his bedroom easily. Overall, this will promote him being able to move freely within his own home on his own terms and using his own abilities, which is amazing for his mental health and development.”
View ‘A's New Wheelchair Accessible Lift’ here.
Please do get in touch if you have any fundraising events, activities and ideas you’d like to share with us; or if you would like to apply for a grant or to fundraise through Sullivan’s Heroes.
Thank you for your ongoing support, it is greatly appreciated.
