Little Hiccups June Event - LazerZone at Kirkstall!

So after being alerted to the fact that the LazerZone in Kirkstall, Leeds is fully accessible to wheelchairs we decided to book a party there to let our families join in the fun.

After going down for a preliminary visit we hired out two games for just Hiccups families and made a few more touches so that it was accessible to all of our children. We had no music in the game, the emergency lights were left on dim so it was not as dark and there was less smoke in the arena. The sound was also reduced in the briefing room and the lights left on in there. 

In all, on the day we had 33 players which consisted of children, parents and carers. But there were others involved that were not playing - parents went in to support their children and we had a couple of children that didn't play but wanted to appreciate the flashing light show that was available from the passing players!

And of course for after the games, we opted for the Party option - we couldn't leave people hungry. Pizza was available for everyone including those that had only come to supervise plus an open tab for teas and coffees for the hard-working parents who had earned a decent cuppa for following their child around in the arena.

There was lots of positive feedback after the event with lots of families saying they have never done this before with their child or that their child had never had the opportunity to play with other children in a LazerZone. It's sometimes takes me booking something like this that my children would consider a 'normal' activity to remind me that not everything is always accessible for various reasons. We had a few children who had sensory issues at this event and because it was so laid back they just took it in their stride. Parents were approaching me after to say they and their children had loved the session. And that is why we do what we do! Sometimes we try the extreme and sometimes it's just a case of bringing the everyday to our families but putting it in an environment where there is no pressure. 

And I have to add the staff were brilliant. They were so attentive to our needs. They took everything in their stride (including the order for 45 pizzas!) and kept asking if there was anything else they could do to help. I truly recommend this LazerZone if you are thinking of going!

"'Do you know, lazer zone is my favourite game?" from my boy who was adamant it was going to be too scary. Thankyou so much for today xxx"

"Fab time at lazer zone, thank you"

"We had a fantastic time, thank you so much"

Little Hiccups May Event: Purple Party!

Little Hiccups visited the Blacksmith Arms pub in Grangemoor for a lovely party in May. For this event, we decided that it was time we gave something back to other charities so we went PURPLE to raise funds for Epilepsy. Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain in which there is a tendency to have recurring seizures. There are over 40 different types of epilepsy, and it can affect anyone, at any age, from any walk of life.

An epileptic seizure results from a sudden electrical discharge in the brain that causes changes in sensation, behaviour or consciousness.

Seizures can take many forms because the brain is responsible for such a wide range of functions. Seizure symptoms depend on where in the brain this abnormal burst of electrical activity happens. As a result, there are many different types of seizures - most usually last from a few seconds to a few minutes and usually stop without any treatment.

It's a sad fact that:

• In the UK 1,150 people died of epilepsy related causes in 2009. In England and Wales 10% or
• 11% of those deaths are young adults or children under the age of 25.

Epilepsy is a condition that affects a lot of our young children in Little Hiccups so it is one that we felt would be particularly relevant. Little Hiccups will be donating the ticket sales to Epilepsy Youth and we are proud to announce that we raised a fabulous £101.94! Thank you everyone that attended. 

We also had CYP-Arts down to entertain the children - a job that they managed to do beautifully with their crafts and very helpful staff who obviously took delight in their work. The children made butterflies, jellyfish and sun catchers - all with a purple theme for our Purple party. The kids all enjoyed themselves and by the end of the session there were butterflies and jellyfish fluttering around the room!

Blacksmith Arms pub excelled themselves in their hospitality as well and the food that was laid out was fantastic. There were wraps, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, chips, marshmallows, ice-lollies. It was endless and truly delicious. I came away stuffed and very content. I recommend a visit if you are ever in the area!

Not only did we raise money for Epilepsy Youth on the day but we also held a raffle to raise money for Cash 4 Kids which raised a fantastic £42. Cash 4 Kids have always supported Little Hiccups in a many number of ways including providing our Christmas presents for the Christmas parties and purchasing one of our Kangoos for which we are eternally grateful. 

"Thank you so much for yesterday's fun times. THE PURPLE PARTY was awesome 👏👏👏👏👏"