How Little Hiccups started 10 years ago...

Thirteen years ago I gave birth to my little boy, full of the joys of becoming a parent and filled with all of the dreams and aspirations for our lives ahead…. those dreams were shattered just a few days afterwards as we very nearly lost our boy to Hypoglycaemia. We spent the following weeks in PICU and HDU before finally bringing our son home, only to keep returning to the LGI as the extent of his injuries came apparent. Jack had been left with scarring all over his brain, resulting in him having severe cortical visual impairment, he cannot sit, stand, hold up his head, or use his hands. He cannot speak (though he can certainly vocalise and express his teenage strops ;) he is fed via a gastrostomy and has a very difficult to treat form of Epilepsy called Lennox Gastaut Syndrome which means he has 20-30 seizures a day of every different kind. All that said, he is the most loving and inspirational boy I have ever met :)

I remember how hard life was back in the early days. I felt consumed by grief and fear for what was to come. Friends and family didn’t always understand - how could they!!? Some people backed away and left me completely isolated and alone. Jack had a growing number of therapists involved in his care, physios, OT’s, speech and language, epilepsy nurses, community nurses, VI teacher, Portage worker, Specialist health visitor, neurologist, paediatrician ….. and they were great, always asking if I wanted to be “put in touch with another family” but I knew if I had to speak the words out loud it was going to make it real!

Finally I did speak to another mum. We spoke of Epilepsy meds and hospital visits, the hardest conversation I have ever had, trying to speak with that lump in my throat and hold back the tears. However, that was my turning point! I realised I wasn’t on my own, there are other families out there going through this too!

The next couple of years saw me leaving my job of 18 years and becoming a single parent, not how I had expected my life to go but Jack needed me more than ever. I recall sitting in Children’s Outpatients one day and looking at the other parents with small babies and a look of total fear in their eyes, wondering what the Drs would tell them next. I knew how they felt and wanted so say “Its ok, you’re not on your own.”

We had been told that Jack’s condition was life limiting, heartbreaking! Somehow I had to get my head, and my heart around that. For a while it did consume me, until I realised I was grieving yet my boy was still here! Still in my arms! This was not the time to grieve, but to make sure I do Jack proud, and give him  the very best life I can. My greatest fear is to stand at his grave and feel I have let him down, which I have no intention of doing!  

Ten years ago I happened to be in the right place at the right time and secured the backing to get “Little Hiccups” up and running. I wanted to bring families together so they would know they weren’t on their own and could support each other. We started with bags of toys and a jar of coffee, ten years later we support over 300 local families and offer a range of services!

We run Stay and Play every Thursday afternoon at Leeds Mencap, an Outreach Service, Hydrotherapy Sessions, Information and Counselling services and a monthly Family Fun Day offering families the opportunity to do activities such as visit local attractions, the cinema (which is always fun with feed pumps, wheelchairs, walking frames and excited children) Canal Boating, Bowling, Water Sports, Parties, Skiing, Wall Climbing, Photoshoots and even Indoor Skydiving!

We firmly believe that our children, no matter what their diagnosis, have the right to experience as much of life as possible and make oodles of many happy memories with their friends and family. Life is a journey and this path we walk certainly isn’t an easy one, however it is very rewarding and we consider ourselves blessed to be part of these special children’s lives and to help make a difference.

Ever just wanted a decent picture of your child??

You all know the routine - you have a child that won't sit still, that struggles with a new environment, that cannot or will not pose for photos. There are many frustrations from families that just want a decent family photo and are unable to get one. One of the main concerns is that the photographer will not understand or be patient enough with the child. That the child will end up frustrated at being forced to pose in a way they do not want and the session ends in a melt down. 

I have so many families contacting me before these sessions worried about how it will go - and I always tell them the same thing.  You don't need to worry - not with Dean. 

Dean has many years experience working with families who have children with additional needs. His experience stems from his personal life and his work life and shows itself beautifully in his photos. We've never had a family come away unhappy and in fact many declare that this is the fist time a photoshoot has been successful. You can't really ask more than that! 

Although I didn't go along to this photoshoot (we just leave him to it now!) I've been myself with my children and I can speak from first hand knowledge at how good Dean is at capturing every person's personality. My two eldest children are polar opposites. I have one that won't say a word when she's out and just stares at people and I have another who is impossible to pin down and speaks at around a million words a minute and yet its not a problem. Trust is earned within minutes and the children are giggling away at Dean's entertainment. They love him to bits now. We generally start with the loud one! He's up for all kinds of poses and shows off while Dean snaps away (they'll always be one that isn't a blur!) The quiet one stands and watches and slowly prepares for her turn then when its is I even glimpse a rare smile. We can then persuade them to have photos together and, dare I say it, even hug...(they've hit that age after all!) We're never disappointed and the results always end up on the wall!

But don't just take my word for it. Here's some feedback from Little Hiccups parents:

Picking the photos on the laptop

"Fantastic experience. Dean greeted the boys, made them feel at ease in a judgement free zone! We’ve done a few photo shoots before but never been able to get good pictures or had the boys enjoy the experience before. Fantastic photos, great stress-free experience. Would highly recommend to anyone who dreads the ‘mission impossible’ of family photos."

"We went to deans and from the minute we walked through the door he was so pleasant and welcoming and made Ella feel so at home by letting her be herself. She loved every minute of it and he managed to get her to sit in the box for the photos to be taken and even got some amazing smiles from her. (No idea how as when I ask her to smile for pictures she acts the clown and pulls funny faces) she loved looking at the photos he had taken on his laptop before taking some more. The finished in the box picture is amazing. We will be booking with him again at some point through the year because we loved it so much"


"Dean was brilliant with us and great with Jack. He really put us all at ease."

"I cant believe this little beauty came from me.. i know im biased but hes sooo beautiful. He absolutely loved his photoshoot the little poser. Thankyou little hiccups xx"

10 Sleep Remedies by Hannah Dent

As its Little Hiccups' 10th Birthday this year we have asked our families for 10 Things that help them in day to day life. Hannah Dent shares 10 Sleep remedies that she uses to get her child to sleep on an evening. We all know how important sleep is for you and your child but the truth is that if you have a child with additional needs you're probably not getting enough! There is no end to the amount of advice that you can find but its important that you find one that works for you and your family. Here are Hannah's:

1. Bath your child after dinner in the early evening allowing time for your child to come back down from splish splash fun. Then start the bedtime routine downstairs.
2. Half a banana about 30 minutes before bed with a glass of warm milk. (More for getting them through the night).
   
3. Don't take anyone else's advice to the letter you will find your own way within the advice.
   
4. If it's not working and you've tried and I mean really tried to follow a Super Nanny course of bedtime routine then abandon it to another remedy.
   
5. Treat bedtime as an all night event.  We all want that day to end and bed time to come...Now!!! However that pressure to make it quick and easy will allude to missed routine,  forgotten important steps and anxious kids. Treat it like you're in for the long haul and you probably won't be.
   
6. Sensitive children like to use their senses to go to sleep.  Many use weighted blankets, some use safe spaces, others teddies, some wriggle their legs as if restless and some like mine like to have massages of the feet and nails tickling their arms and back. We call it nails and the circular motion is enough for him to relax into sleep.
7. A child that leaves their bed after lights out.. lie with them on the floor, I've two old sofa cushions I prop against the radiator and sit until he's reassured enough to sleep. (The longhaul).
8. Don't try and exercise them to sleep with  big long walks/park etc..Endorphins wake you up.
   
9. Keep a sleep record so you can try and identify the worst days and the causes.
   
10. Remember you're in it for the long haul.  If you're 3 hours into a long sleepless stretch that's starting to build tension between parent and child  then break off. Go back downstairs and do what I call baby checks. Are they hungry, are they the right temperature,  are they ill, did your husband let them nap earlier 😂😂😂. Read a book, play some relaxing music then try again.

Do you have any hint and tips for life with a child with additional needs? Please email Miriam on info@littlehiccups.co.uk to share them.

Have you ever felt completely alone in a room full of people?

Have you ever felt completely alone in a room full of people? In the baby groups you hide your growing concerns in small talk with the other new mummies. You try and ignore the voices in your head and agree with those telling you everything will be alright, but deep down you know it won't be.

It was in this muddle of emotions that I first found Little Hiccups. Emily had been hospitalised with seizures at 10 weeks old. Blood tests, lumbar puncture, EEGs and MRI scan followed but answers were few and far between. With a growing list of places where Emily and I no longer fitted in, Little Hiccups stay and play sessions quickly became the highlight of our week. A place where we could seek advice and understanding from others in similar situations. And if all Emily did was sleep while I ate my own body weight in biscuits, it didn't matter. No one cared. I didn't have to pretend that everything was ok.

Thanks to Little Hiccups we've enjoyed some fantastic experiences as a family - cinema trips where no one tuts if your child has to make a noise or run around, festive days out at Sundown Adventureland, steering a canal boat, cuddling a rabbit or even a snake a tarantula and Emily 'paddling' in her wheelchair at the beach. We can't wait for Emily to sample skiing and skydiving in the years to come! I've crawled through mud and swam through freezing cold water to raise money and we've enjoyed a rare night out as a couple at the annual Little Hiccups Ball.

Since plucking up the courage to go to that first stay and play group seven years ago, Little Hiccups has been a massive support to our whole family. Alongside copious amounts of tea/coffee and biscuits, they've provided loads of advice, raised awareness of other groups and services, listened to our fears and shared our successes. Having a child with special needs can be a long and exhausting journey, but with Little Hiccups it doesn't have to be a lonely one.

Relaxed Play Session

Little Hiccups ethos is #NoLimits (you've probably heard us mention that once or twice) but it is important to remember that everyone's limit is different. And this is something that we try to express through our events. So you do have the high flying events and the fast paced events that leave you buzzing and exhilarated after the event. But that is not the whole story. Pushing the boundaries of #NoLimits is a scale and what one child is happy doing might not even enter the consideration of another child.

The thing about Little Hiccups however, is that we keep trying. We keep reaching and striving that little bit further and the children keep experiencing new events. It may not work the first or second time, but it may the third.

I'm thinking of one family in particular where this was was especially prominent (and if the mum is reading this she'll know its her as I've mentioned it to her before). When they first joined us at Stay n Play along with their young child with autism they used to manage 10 minutes maximum before it became too much and they had to leave. But they kept coming and they kept trying. And that 10 minutes increased slowly as he came to know the environment. The same happened at the Family Fun Days. They used to come and only stay briefly before having to go home. But they kept coming and he learnt that these events and others were safe and he started exploring and expanding his limits. I have a very fond memory of this child dancing at one of our parties. He truly does portray everything we try to achieve and we're looking forward to seeing him strive even further forward.

And this is what our February event is about. We visited the soft play center, Kid Zone in Garforth and it was just fun. There was no stress and no anxiety. It was only Little Hiccups families in there and it was easy. To the extent I even managed to sit down during this event! The children went and played and the adults relaxed with a hot drink courtesy of Little Hiccups. The families were all fed so people didn't need to worry about dinner when they got out and hopefully a lot slept well that night from all the exercise.

A massive thank you to Kid Zone for making it so stress free for us. I really do recommend this place as they are so keen to make everyone feel welcome. They also have a Sensory Room for those that just want to relax a little rather than run around like crazy! Follow them on Facebook to find out about their Relaxed Sessions.

Kidzone website
https://www.facebook.com/kidzoneplaycentre/

Now that's how you throw a party...

Its been a (very busy!) month since our party but it is still talked about. Every year there is the challenge of making sure that the Christmas Party is just as special for our children as it has been in previous years.

This year we had a special Disney twist (and who doesn't love a bit of Disney!) because Little Hiccups, through In Kind Direct, have been joined with The Disney Store in The White Rose Centre, Leeds. And what this means is that if The Disney Store had any stock in the shop that they couldn't sell (ie. end of sale, slightly damaged, no box, parts missing, etc) they put it all in a big box and give us a call. We go and pick it up and over the year have collected some wonderful, wonderful gifts to pass onto the Hiccups children. Knowing this, we obviously went with the theme and had a Disney Christmas. Susie Sparkles was back as Jessie and Woody from Toy Story and the balloons from Celebration Balloons were Disney style. We had Claire's Facepainting back with her wonderful talent and this year she brought a friend, Louise, who created masterpieces from balloons. I spent most of the party with a unicorn on my head but that is another story...

We were back at The Royal Armouries and the room was again decorated in a truly beautiful manner. It makes the party feel so special as if the decorations were just for us. And this is what we want to get across to the Hiccups families - that they ARE special. That they SHOULD be invited to the most amazing parties and they definitely should enjoy themselves at all times of the year but especially at Christmas because that is when magic is real. And if anybody deserves magic its the Little Hiccups families.


A massive thank you to our Santa and elves who held back their return to the North Pole to visit our party and as always excelled themselves. There were so many happy children coming away with their gifts. And of course, thank you also to our photographers of the day, Heather (one of our volunteers) and Dean from Dean Sanderson Photography, because special memories like these are meant to be kept forever. Although I was slightly disappointed that Heather turned up in Disney style BUT Dean didn't. Next time maybe...An Alice in Wonderland and a White Rabbit theme would be perfect :-)

Wonder what our 2019 Christmas Party will bring? Thank you all for coming.

"Great party!! Thank you all!!"

"Such a fantastic time at our first Little Hiccups Christmas party yesterday. Both kids, even the "too cool for school" pre teen had a wonderful time and thoroughly love their gifts. Small one is upstairs now, racing his remote control car around the landing! Next one for us is Clip and Climb! See you there!"

"Nathan enjoying himself as Woody from Toy Story at The Royal Armouries today for the Little Hiccups Enchanted Christmas Party. He even won a cute little trophy for dancing on the dance floor!"

"Thank you Little Hiccups. xxxx"

Thank you for another great party we had a fab time and they loved their gifts xx"

"Callum loved it. Thank you hiccups"

"Our first little hiccups event and it was amazing, thanks so much for everything Woody and Jessie were great, food was yummy (especially the pudding) and the presents they got from Santa were fabolus all 4 of my children loved them really thoughtful gifts thanks you so much xx"

"Thankyou little hiccups for a wonderful Christmas party xxxxx."

"Thank u for a beautiful party, food was amazing ! And while atmosphere was brill, always love meeting our gorgeous friends there THANK YOU"

"That’s how you throw a party. Thank you xx"

"Thank you for the lovely party glad we came both boys had fun and now are both asleep now. Thank you also for the lovely Santa gifted boys love them. Santa must of know we love Olaf and McQueen"

Climbing to new heights

Well - if you wanted to kick off the year in style, visiting Clip n Climb in the miserable month of January is certainly the way to do it! I think a few bucket lists and conquering fears were achieved this day. We certainly had a few nervous looking families on arrival who went away beaming by the end of the day. 

We had approached Clip n Climb last September to organise a SEND session for Little Hiccups and right from the get go we knew this would be a fantastic event. The owners were keen to have us and were honestly one of the most approachable and helpful companies I've ever planned with. We explained we have a range of abilities and ages and include siblings in the events  and on the day we had around 150 people attending the to Clip n Climb event. 


It was slightly crazy as most of our big events are but I can honestly say this has been one of our best ones. The owners pulled out all the stops and nothing was too much for them. They bought a hoist and new harnesses to enable more children to experience the walls and experience it they did. We had the full range of climbers from the ones with low muscle tone in the SEND harness. This completely enclosed the child so that they could experience the sensation of 'climbing' high the see the sensory colours of the bright walls. Then there were the harnesses that the toddlers and the ones that needed a little bit more additional support. These harnesses went over the shoulders and meant that the line was clipped on higher up to give a more secure centre of balance. It meant that parents could support their child to climb but if they chose they were still able to climb themselves. The final group had the harness around the legs and waist. These were the most flexible climbers and the ones that needed the least assistance. The majority of these were climbing by themselves by the end of their session and even the most nervous beat their initial climbing heights from the start to the end of their climb.  

Clip n Climb also brought in extra staff and trainers from other centres and they also managed to feed all the families with extremely gorgeous home cooked food.  As soon as the food was put out, it disappeared it was that popular! There was no time pressures for the families and the staff worked extra hard to make sure that we were all well looked after. I certainly felt like we were in very capable and safe hands and I think this is certainly going to become a regular event for our families.  

If you didn't make it to our event but want to give this a try with your child, I fully recommend this place as they have all the necessary equipment needed to make it a success.  Just give them a call before you go and they'll make sure you are looked after! I've already promised my boy that we'll be back on his next Training Day! 

"Thank you for organising a brilliant day. Jack loved every minute of it. We would never have considered climbing an activity he could take part in and really appreciate little hiccups allowing Jack to have new experiences and such fun doing them."

"Our three kids! Especially my boys with learning disabilities. And hypermobilty. Were really excited about it at first. Got in and weren't shore. And got a bit scared too!. We werent shore they'd take part! But I kept phrasing them! And saying if it didn't matter how far they got! And started clapping whenever they tried. And they loved it. They tried to climb abit higher. Never got to the middle but almost! It was fantastic! They started to laugh and smile! They loved it! And they sister us all too! Just to see the boys have a good try! And have fun. And that they loved it. I'd definitely go again! Just to see them try as hard as they did today. They clearly felt on top of the world and they should. I think with most of the kids it was the same. Hit and miss but all did the most they could and enjoyed themselves! Well done on the organisation of this! And thank you so much. We loved it! X"

"Thank you sooo much little hiccups. I cant thank you all enough for today... callum had an amazing time climbing and seeing him genuinely happy and hearing him laugh is priceless and just makes my heart melt. I was so proud of him and everyone else there today. Memories ill treasure for life 😘💗 xxx"

"Thank u for a brilliant afternoon"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! Xx"

"Thanks again for another fantastic afternoon!! We've enjoyed every minute 😘"

"What an amazing afternoon thankyou so much little hiccups for making it possible seeing my own n so many other children and adults conquering fears and climbing the walls was amazing there truly are no limits or barriers stopping our hiccups family xxxxxx well done all ❤❤❤❤"

"Thank you so very much for a fantastic afternoon. One very tired boy who cant stop talking about it."

"Thankyou for a great day out xxxxx"

"Had a great afternoon thank you so much xx"

"Georgia really enjoyed herself!! And there were a couple of ladder like walls Yanni did quite well with - different to the climbing walls they have in Ilkley. Really great, thank you."

x

What 10 means to me...

Proud parents with Oliver and Isaac

Like all new mummy’s and daddy’s we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of our firstborns - due on Christmas Eve. Despite our very unexpected twin pregnancy everything was going along smoothly and we began to make plans and started to imagine our lives as a little family of four. But 10 years ago, on the 12th September 2008 our lives changed forever when we gave birth to our amazing boys, Oliver and Isaac 15 weeks prematurely. We were told by the Doctors to expect a rollercoaster journey and boy were they not wrong. Our first few days of being a first time mummy and daddy passed by in a blur of tubes, machines, ventilators, and very scary medical things which I’d  rather not remember. We slowly and reluctantly settled into life on the neonatal intensive care ward - beginning to care for our boys, taking the days literally minute by minute and living on a knifes edge. When one of our boys were doing well, the other seemed to be struggling and vice versa. I felt like I was being dangled upside down over a cliff edge by my ankles .. just waiting to drop.


And drop we did.

A day trip with with Little Hiccups

Despite getting off a ventilator first and seemingly getting stronger our beautiful little boy Issac’s condition deteriorated when he was around 9 weeks old. A few days later our hearts were shattered when we had to make the horrific decision no parents should ever have to be faced with. Despite the gallant efforts of the Doctors and nurses and the heroic fight of our little man, Isaac Harold Eaton died snuggling in our arms on the 19th November.  I skim over much of this period not because I have forgotten (far from it) but even now 10 years on it is painful to re-live.

Visiting Santa

Following Isaac’s death we had no choice but to carry on. Our other warrior Oliver  needed us. And despite wanting to crumble in the corner and climb into bed forever we ploughed on. More tubes, more machines, more surgery's and lots of scary moments where we thought we were going to lose him. But miraculously after almost 6 months Oliver came home from hospital weighing  almost a whopping 7lb.

It is at this point now where many people believe the journey ends. But looking back now our journey was just beginning. Oliver had a lot of medical needs and he spent he first year of his life in 24hour oxygen.  

The euphoria of making it home led me to trying to normalise and do the ‘new mummy’ things which some of my friends were doing around me. But we were fragile. Oliver physically and me mentally and emotionally. I quickly realised I felt like  we didn’t fit in. Nobody could possibly understand what we had and were going through. I was scared to speak to other new mums for fear of coming across too doom and gloom. I broke our in a blind panic when anybody every started the obligatory ‘how was your birth’ story. But I was scared to attend any special needs groups for fear of admitting to myself the obvious. I was in limbo and began to retreat.

A day at the beach

And then I sat in a hospital waiting room for another appointment (the hospital was our second home) and I saw a poster for Little Hiccups. I remember ringing Linsay that night and speaking to her on the phone and she made me feel so at ease. I went along to my first Little Hiccups group nervous as hell. I needn’t have been. That was 10 years ago. Being part of a Little Hiccups finally felt like we belonged somewhere. In those early years being able to meet up with our little ones on a weekly basis was a life saver. I made friends and began to feel like we weren’t alone on this journey.

Over the years Oliver has received various diagnosis’s including cerebral palsy and autism. Our Little Hiccups family have been there for us throughout this. And as Little Hiccups has grown, so has our family (younger brother William and little sister Evie) and our biggest boy who turned 10 this year. His stubbornness and strength which in a way saved him in those early days are now creating new obstacles for us. Getting out and accessing activities and events with him is quite difficult, daunting and sometimes requires military operation and planning. Little  Hiccups have given us opportunities where we have benefited not only from ‘strength’ in numbers but also opportunities to participate in activities we would not have thought possible or not dared to try on our own. Nothing will ever compare to the happiness I felt seeing Oliver hurling down the dry ski slope attached to an instructor or seeing him relaxing and enjoying a canal boat trip. It is definitely the little moments, big memories. Thank you Little Hiccups; Linsay, Miriam and the gang for helping to create these memories and giving us he normality we so often crave xx

Kicking off Christmas with a Little Hiccups tradition

I'm now told by the Little Hiccups families that Christmas just isn't allowed to start until we've visited Sundown Adventureland. Every year we visit in early December and every year we come away with happy memories. The Little Hiccups facebook page fills up with raving reviews and pictures of smiling families. It really is one of our most cherished events.

If you haven't been to Sundown before its a theme park aimed at under 10's. The rides are more about sights and sounds than speed and there are plenty of soft play areas, playgrounds, rides, visual display amongst other delights all aimed at stimulating and tiring out those children of yours! But there is also plenty of food outlets to restock them as well for more fun. (More importantly though, there are many coffee outlets for the adults!) And what is more fun than visiting Santa and Mrs Claus at their home after riding a sleigh through a Christmas Wonderland. The Big Man is always friendly and approachable (of course!) and I hear reviews time and time again how this is the only place where a child has loved Santa at first sight. The elves on the door were also aware we were visiting that day and were ready to help out. We really couldn't ask for more! 

It certainly helps as well that the weather was unseasonably warm and dry. Visiting an outdoor attraction in December is always hit or miss but we seem to get lucky. Maybe there really is magic in Sundown... The mild weather didn't deter from the Christmas theme however as all the decorations and lights were in full splendour and when the sun went down we saw them in all their glory. 

This year was slightly different as it was Sundown Adventureland's 50th Birthday and they celebrated by opening the park to invite only and contacted local Charities to attend. The theme park attendees were limited to allow a relaxed session for the children and everything was free. As it was on a Friday however, a number of families were unable to attend due to work or school commitments. However, many could and as you can see from the feedback below it made for a truly magical and memorable event. 

"Thank you so much. Today has been amazing at sundown adventure land. My girls have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. My daughter has found a new love in the bears to the point we had to buy her very own ones from the gift shop. Its been truly magical. "

"Thank you little hiccups. We had an absolutely amazing time"

"Thank you so much Little Hiccups for today. it was magical."

"Huge Thank you !!!!"

"We have had the most amazing day! Massive thank you to Little Hiccups for inviting us to Sundown today. As part of Sundown’s 50th birthday celebration the park was closed to the public today and families with disabled children and those with life limiting conditions could enjoy a quieter park, a relaxed atmosphere and over all a spectacular day! Every little detail was thought of to make this day enjoyable and accessible for all !! Smiles all round here."

"We had the best day!!! Smiling from the second we got there... thank you again so much little hiccups."

"We just wanted to say a big Thankyou to you and everyone at Little Hiccups for organising Sundown on Sunday. We'd never been before and our boys absolutely loved it (as did we!)"

 

"Thank you for a lovely day!"

"Thank you Little hiccups for a fabulous day out. Fun was had by all the family. Thank you so so much everyone. Great day loads of family fun and a magical trip to Santa which Aiden loved. He even said to Santa "Please don't get stuck up the chiminy Santa" lol and gave him a hi 5. Xxx"

"Thank you so so much. My autistic little girl as well as her triplet sisters all had an absolutely fabulous time today. I cannot thank you all enough for organising and giving us a chance to have such a wonderful family day. I cried as this was the first time we didn’t have any tears with Santa they all loved it and went to sleep without a peep. Exhausted and happy. Thank you so much again. Awesome day."

"Wow what an amazing place! Thank you little hiccups for encouraging the trip down. We all loved it x"

"Thank you Little Hiccups, another wonderful day out for the children. We've had an amazing day."

"Merry Christmas all. Fantastic annual sundown trip. Thank you"

"Another fabulous outing thanks to Little Hiccups. Cameron had a brilliant day"

"Thank you for an awesome day! Owen is so proud that he passed his driving test in the dark."