At Cherry Trees, everyone’s mental health and wellbeing is important to us. This is why we have always taken a holistic approach to supporting our children and their families, including siblings. In addition, during the pandemic we have ensured that we remained open, to be here for our families when they needed us the most, to be the lifeline that we know we are for so many.

Being a family with a child with complex disabilities can put huge pressures on parents, carers and siblings. There are often extra costs involved with caring for children with disabilities, and the additional caring responsibilities may mean that income is impacted.  There are often medical worries, lots of appointments and complexities with transport or getting out and about. A child may have medical conditions that impact negatively on their appetite and their sleep patterns. This also affects their families and the dynamics of family relationships.  For most of our families there are reduced opportunities to socialise or talk with others, especially with others who understand what they are going through. Equally, for most there is little opportunity for a little restorative ‘me time’. This, in conjunction with the strains of everyday life, means many families are under relentless pressures, which can have a negative impact of how they feel and how they interact with the world. 

Our new Cherry Trees Mental Wellbeing Fund is designed to support parents, carers and siblings overall wellbeing, contributing to family and personal resilience.

How will the Fund support families: 

• Enable Cherry Trees to put on special events for parents and carers where they can relax, try something new, or meet others in a supportive setting. It might be a fishing day, a yoga session or a bowling night...
• Give parents, carers and siblings the chance to access hobbies or other social events available in their community.
• Support siblings by organising entertainment and fun age0-appropriate activities to help them relax and play as other children do. 
• Offer other therapeutic support appropriate to our families.

All funds will be used to make life a little easier for our families, and thus our children.

 

We aim to raise £5,000 in our first year by working closely with our community of supporters.

Thank you for supporting our Mental Wellbeing Fund.