Little Hiccups - past, present and future

A few of you will remember the days back in 2009 when we used to turn up to Stay n’ Play events every fortnight in Headingley with a big bag of toys and tea and coffee. Since then we've grown somewhat. We now have approximately 150 registered families and have a large following on social media. As well as expanding our Stay n’ Play to include soft play at Swithens Farm and sensory sessions in Headingley we have also expanded into monthly Family Fun Days which are getting bigger and better all the time, an Outreach service, access to Max Cards and an annual Fundraising Ball. We've also had another major change...

So what is it?

Well...do you remember that we received two Kangoos and then it went all quiet? We haven't forgotten them and we haven't just been sitting on them. Here's what happened. The simple truth is that it turns out you guys were just amazing. We had estimated that it would take us a few years to fundraise the amount required to raise the necessary funds to purchase them. But then word got out. The conquerors raised fantastic amounts and the newspapers got a hold of our story. From there Cash for Kids at Radio Aire and a lovely man from Therma Casa heard about us too and they each DONATED us a Kangoo. This was just so heartwarming and amazing. But here's the thing...we were still a non-profit organisation. We had planned in the time it would take us to fundraise to become a legal entity so that we could safely hire out the Kangoos. The good news is that we are now a Company limited by Guarentee. This is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality which is exactly what we needed to start hiring out the Kangoo as it protects Little Hiccups’ finances and the Trustees! And we are well on the way to becoming a Registered Charity.

So where are the Kangoos?

We had another problem. Time. Hiccups is run by a group of volunteers. Most of whom are parents who have children with additional needs themselves or who work full-time. And the year of fundraising did another thing. It raised our profile in Leeds and our rate of expansion grew exponentially. Events that used to have 12 people attend had grown to having over 100 people. Each event requires organising, advertising, booking, answering queries, finalising and sending out details then after collating the data, recording the accounts, sharing the photos and uploading to the site. And that's just a single event.

A few of you may know that I was self employed. My time on Hiccups was limited as I needed to earn a living. Every hour spent on Hiccups was an hour unpaid. Consequently, in November 2015 the Trustees made the decision to hire my company to run hiccups. This means I have more time to spend on Little Hiccups and to do what is needed. I've already made a start on all the necessary documents required to hire out Kangoos such as the Terms and Conditions, the booking out process, the Risk Assessments, etc. My plan is to have all these completed, checked and finalised by May 2016. Then we'll need some regular Hiccup families to volunteer to test the process and feedback any issues or suggestions. If you are interested in this please let me know by emailing me on info@littlehiccups.co.uk. Then they will be open to everyone!

What else is happening?

Lots! This year promises to be another big one. We're very excited to be Strata Homes Charity of 2016 which basically means the sky is the limit. We want to purchase another Kangoo so that we have one available in all sizes and we also want to provide Workshops for parents. Raising a child is a scary and exciting journey anyway. Raising a child with additional needs throws in a whole new set of factors that come with little or no guidance in how to manage them. Little Hiccups wants to change that. We want to be able to guide parents to help them learn what is available and what help and rights they have and they can receive on their journey. We want to let them know that they are not alone in this and exactly where they can go to get the support that they need.

We have other things planned too. I want to organise a Charity Fun Day during the Summer holidays and we have our annual Ball again this year (put it in your diary – November 19^th!) AND we still have plans to fund a short break in cabins for several families.

Basically, watch this space!  I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for joining us in our travels. We couldn’t do it without you guys.

If you have any questions about the above or have any suggestions about where Little Hiccups can go in the future, please email me on info@littlehiccups.co.uk

Little Hiccups December Trip: Sundown Adventure Land

Christmas is no longer Christmas without our annual trip to Sundown to visit Father Christmas in his magic grotto. If you have never been, Sundown in a theme park designed for under 8's. It is especially fun at Christmas time when it is decorated into a magical wonderland!

We've been going to Sundown now for a number of years and its one that is requested every year. It's now a Hiccup's tradition and this year we were recognised and remembered by the cheeky elves at Santa's house. Which was particularly good as they were able to help us with the buggies and wheelchairs!

Santa was certainly jolly when we visited him too and he asked the children if they could do him a favour and check on Dancer and Prancer to see if they had enough food and water. They did as we did as we promised and checked for him.

The Angry Bird park was a hit as always and we bumped into a few Hiccups families in there - seems it is popular with all the children!

And as always we stayed until the lights came on and then wondered back through the park enjoying the scenery. It really does make you feel very Christmassy and is a fantastic way to start December. Thank you Sundown!

"Thank you again What a fantastic magical Santa the Elves & Sleigh ride experience for Ellie we all loved it... this is the 1st time she has not been upset & our little star even spoke to Santa! Xxxx"

"Thankyou for an amazing day guys! Thankyou for all the help! Thankyou Sarah for sticking with us to help out your a star."

"Thank you so much for today. We had so much fun x"

"Thanks for organising a wonderful day at Sundown. We had a great time. Jacob enjoyed seeing Santa and gave him his letter, it's the 1st time he's not been upset. He had such a good day he didn't want to leave and fell asleep not long after we got in the car."

"Thank you once again for another brilliant day out xxx"

"Another fab Sundown Adventure. Thank you Little Hiccups xxx" 

"Nile had a lovely day today thank you x"

Website: http://www.sundownadventureland.co.uk

Little Hiccups Year 2015

Little Hiccups Fundraising Ball 2015

Little Hiccups Fundraising Ball

Local support group for children with disabilities / additional needs, Little Hiccups is kicking off Christmas in style by hosting its annual Fundraising Ball this Saturday at The Marriott in Leeds.

The annual Ball has grown from year to year and this year its reputation has preceded it and it is the most popular Ball yet with tickets selling out early.

With a delicious three course dinner, complimentary wine on every table, exclusive auction items and contributions to our raffle prize from a host of generous companies this year promises to be the most amazing yet.

The annual Fundraising Ball started 5 years ago as a brainchild of Linsay Medica, the Founder of Little Hiccups who says “This is our biggest Ball so far and it promises to be the best! We have some fantastic entertainment planned and we are definitely kicking off the festive season in style with a night to remember.”

Even at Little Hiccups Fundraising Events the families are not forgotten. It is a frustrating and unfair fact that the cost of bringing up a child with disabilities is three times greater than bringing up one without. It is because of this that Leeds based company Equinox traditionally sponsor a table so that Little Hiccups parents and carers of children with special needs can take part in our special night too. One of Little Hiccups guest parents phrase it perfectly as “being invited with a free place is not only exciting but that push I needed to actually have a night out! To be able to come to something so special also reminds me that I’m ‘me' and not just 'mum'”.

An evening of Glamorous Entertainment

Not only do we have some amazing guests but we are pleased to announce the return of singer Bethany Hare. Bethany sang for our guests as they arrived last year underneath the eaves of a fantastic Christmas tree while guests warmed themselves on Hot Chocolate with Baileys or Mulled Wine. Little Hiccups were so blown away with her stage presence and voice that this year she was asked to sing on the main stage.

Bethany has just turned 16 years of age and has been fundraising since she was 10. To date she has raised over £30,000 for Martin House and also set up her own charity called Bethany's Smile - her aim is to build Smile Cottage, a holiday home for families of children with high care needs. In addition to her own fundraising, Bethany performs free of charge for any charity in Yorkshire to try and help them to raise more funds for their very worthy causes - her way of trying to support everyone as much as possible.

We also have Shane Durrant who will entertain the guests on arrival. Shane is a Yorkshire-based performer, teacher and composer. He has worked extensively in the UK and abroad, playing at ski resorts in the Alps, directing shows onboard cruise ships and running music schools in Malaysia.

Dean and Richard from X2 Photography will also be there to capture the guests in all their attire although of course the obligatory Santa hat must make an appearance. X2 Photography specialises in family photos of children with special needs and Little Hiccups use them at a number of their events.

Fundraising for an Amazing Cause

Little Hiccups are a support group based in Leeds run by parents who have children with special needs. They had a vision to bring parents and families of disabled children together, to make memories and experience the support of other families in similar situations.

Little Hiccups has nearly 200 families that it supports and the aim of the Ball is to ensure that Little Hiccups can keep providing the support to each of these families that attend our Fortnightly Stay n Play sessions incorporating Baby Massage & Yoga, Music Therapy, information from different services and our Monthly Family Fun Days which include relaxed and group trips to the cinema, theme parks, skiing, wall climbing and photoshoots amongst others. Little Hiccups also offers an Outreach programme and in 2016 have many more future plans to enrich the lives of the families that they support. All monies raised goes back towards the families.

Little Hiccups Secretary and Event Organiser, Miriam Watson says “We are all very excited about this Saturday. It looks like it is going to be our biggest and best yet and we have some fantastic prizes to give away. We've been completely blown away by people's generosity."

James Thompson, a medical negligence solicitor at Simpson Millar LLP and a committee member of Little Hiccups said "This is a charity that is very close to my heart; I've seen the amazing work they do for families in and around Leeds and I am grateful to Simpson Millar LLP for getting behind this event and donating one of the Star Prizes for the night".

ENDS

Note for Editors

Little Hiccups is a support group that has been set up by families who have children with special needs.

Through personal experience they recognise the importance of allowing the parents and families of a child with a disability the opportunity to meet people in similar situations, to make friends and support each other. Little Hiccups runs a bi-monthly support group for under 5’s in Leeds and organises a fun monthly outing that the whole family can attend.

You can contact Little Hiccups through our website www.littlehiccups.co.uk, by email on info@littlehiccups.co.uk or mobile on 0783 123 0741.

Bethany’s Smile: http://www.bethanyssmile.org
Shane Durrant: www.shanedurrant.co.uk
X2 Photography: www.x2photo.co.uk

Little Hiccups October Event: Rainbow Factory

It was a cold, wet and generally miserable day. I was certainly glad that we had arranged an indoor activity today but I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive. I had been sent a newspaper link from one of our families showing that the Rainbow Factory had been broken into and ransacked. You can read the article here. We never had any intention of NOT going but were a little nervous about what to expect and from reading the article the damage done was quite large.  We needn't have been. I don't know how hard the staff had worked to get everything back up to scratch but they must have worked relentlessly. One of the parents said to me after that if they hadn't known about it via the newspaper there simply would not have known. The place was impeccable. When we arrived we were greeted at the door by the happiest and smiliest people I think I have ever met! The enthusiasm and excitement of the team at Rainbow Factory, even after what must have been a very challenging week, was palpable and it fizzled in the air.

We started our adventure by being greet by one of the owners, Hazel and our guide for the day, Lydia. We then entered a mystical world through theatrical red curtains and were rewarded with fabulous tales of magic adventure. Our guide bubbled with stories and engaged the children with their interactive stories. We visited goblins and dragons. We found magic boxes, wands and dragon teeth. We searched for emotion stars and collected them in our tubs. 

Once we had found all the emotions we could we moved onto a craft area where we put our emotions onto wish buckets and decorated with colours and glitter. Each of these activities totally engrossed the children. I don't think I've ever seen them sit so still...

Several of the children enjoyed the centre in their own way. The fancy dress and the hidey holes in the tents were particularly popular with some. And there was plenty of opportunity for the parents to relax and take 10 minutes for themselves while the rainbow staff entertained the children. I personally found the time to catch up with parents and actually have a chat instead of running around after my own children! Always appreciated. 

Our wonderful visit ended with a packed lunch for the children in the rainbow room where they tucked into sandwiches and gingerbread men. The adults weren't forgotten either and we treated to buns and some very tasty sandwiches and good old fashioned pots of tea. The proper way!

All in all it was a lovely trip out and we were made to feel so welcome. Even when we left (well after closing time) the staff were still so happy and enthusiastic and after chatting to them I learnt that it had been one of, if not THE, busiest days they had had since opening. Personally...I want to know the secret and source of their energy...maybe it's the magic that is entwined throughout the building? Whatever it was, I can't wait for our next trip.

The Rainbow Factory will be holding lots of Christmas activities in the runup to Christmas including a performance of The Shoemaker's Christmas Wish which will be hosted from 8th -24th December at 11am and 6pm. Join Charlotte the shoemaker for a magical reimagining of the classic fairytale The Elves and the Shoemaker. Featuring live music, song and dance, this Christmas cracker is bursting with fun and laughter for all the family...

To book or for more information, visit www.rainbowfactorykids.com/ChristmasShow

Little Hiccups trip to Cannon Hall Farm - Saturday 19th September 2015

Indoor Play Area

Due to popular demand, we re-visited Cannon Hall Farm and how it has grown! It's been about a year since I last went and about two years since Little Hiccups has visited. Since my last visit there is now a fantastic and interactive Soft Play area where the children spent a happy hour exhausting themselves. We spend at least another hour in the outdoor play area as the weather ended up being absolutely gorgeous (to the point where I regretted not packing suncream!). Exhausted but happy we finally managed to persuade the children that as this was a working farm we really ought to go see the animals and managed to drag them away from the slides and climbing frames. Cannon Hall Farm have also been hard at work updating the areas that the animals stayed in also and the walk way past them all was much easier to navigate in the crowds and we were able to see the very cute piglets and my personal favourite - the pygmy goats!

Sheep Racing

I was dragged by my daughter to see the Ferret Racing where my ferret decided to tease me by pretending to win then turning round and going back the way it came just before the end. We also visited the Sheep Racing twice and we managed to win the raffle one time. The sheep it seems, was much better behaved than the ferret!



We had a fabulous day and I know that all the families I bumped into too did. We certainly all came home very tired!

Enjoying the sun

Our tickets included farm admission, sheep racing, indoor play area, ferret racing, milking demonstrations, outdoor play area and tractor & trailer ride and Cannon Hall Farm also very kindly set aside some of the picnic area exclusively for Little Hiccups families as it can get busy in the cafe.

About the Farm:

Cannon Hall Farm opened to the public for the first time in 1989. Since that time we have added adventure playgrounds, gift shop, farm shop, two restaurants and an indoor playground. It is now one of the largest farm attractions in the UK and the winner of many awards.

Our new £1.5 million farmyard opened in July 2013. Seven new farm buildings designed with the visitor in mind. See the day to day workings of a modern farmyard including tractors and farm machinery during the working day.

Other attractions include a milking parlour with regular milking demonstrations and a Rare Breeds barn. This is the first visitor centre of it’s type in the world!

Cannon Hall Farm was winner of the Best Tourism Experience at The White Rose Awards 2011 and highly commended in the Visit England Awards 2012 in the same category. It was also a finalist in The Best Large Attraction Award at The White Rose Awards 2014 and won the The Innovation award for it’s new farmyard at the National Farms For Schools Awards 2015.

Website: http://www.cannonhallfarm.co.uk

Always time for a quick selfie

Start thinking outside of the box!

We all know about the budget cuts in the NHS but do you know about the positive changes in our Leeds area and how they affect you?

Services have had to take a hard look at their budget and get creative, whilst also ensuring they are meeting the criteria of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. This means that we can now be part of the consultation process and ensure we have a voice on how services work.

 

What does this mean to us as parents? 

We now have rights, control and choice for what our children need to help them be included and gain some independence.

We can personalise the care package around our children, what works for them and us as a family – because as we all know, every child is different.

Imagine having a blank page, and listing what your child needs for their physical, emotional and spiritual outcomes.

Nobody knows our children like we do, so working in partnership with professionals we can plan how to reach those outcomes and achieve the very best for our children. 

“My child is NOT a statistic, NOT a number, NOT a diagnosis, but a person with different abilities taking on a difficult world.”

What does this mean to me?

After dealing with the system for the last 9 years it has taken me a good while and a lot of deep thinking to get my head around the changes and what it means for Jack and I personally. Everything has turned upside down, instead of being ‘grateful’ for anything we can tap into, now its about “what does Jack need” and thinking about how we can achieve it.

Its radical, its new and its not what we are used to – but it’s a fantastic opportunity to get a better life for our children. We as parents, can be heard now. I’m not saying for one minute that all our battles are over, but this is change in the right direction and personally, when I look at how far society has come in the last 60 years with their views and treatment for disabilities, children included, I cant help but feel positive and encouraged.

As services are being reviewed, as a patient/parent you will be invited to give your thoughts and input to how it can be improved. If you want to help shape better services for your child, then take the opportunity to be heard.

Written by Linsay Medica, Founder of Little Hiccups

Contact us by emailing us on info@littlehiccups.co.uk if you want the opportunity to be heard.