Archive News

October 2011 Fiveways School Trust is a special school based in Somerset for children with severe, profound and multiple disabilities. They are currently building a new purpose designed Special Needs Training Centre where practical course training and support will be provided for teachers, teaching assistants, care staff and other professionals in the South West area who are involved with children with disabilities in mainstream schools, etc. Their application to ACT was for help to fund furnishings, teaching resources and equipment. ACT were delighted to pledge £2,000 to this project.

October 2011 A 17 year old lady who will be going to University shortly applied to us for assistance to fund some specialist equipment to help her with her day to day activities. She is severely visually impaired and was born with the condition Septo Optic Dysplasia affecting many aspects of her life and requiring many medications. ACT's donation of £549 which funded the purchase of a handheld magnifier, talking microwave oven and talking jug and weighing scales will hopefully make living away from home easier for her.

September 2011 An elderly lady applied to ACT for assistance to fund a folding transfer board. The lady who is an amputee and a full time wheelchair user was having great difficulty getting into her family's car to access the community. The provision of the transfer board will make her and her family's lives a little easier. ACT were delighted to be able to help out with a donation of £400.

September 2011 A donation of £95 helped the family of a little boy with autism and severe sensory integration difficulties to be able to install dark film to the windows of their car. The little boy who suffers when exposed to direct sunlight and heat will now be able to travel in more comfort.

August 2011 The Neuromuscular Centre is a registered charity based in Cheshire offering a unique blend of services for people with the progressive muscle wasting disease, muscular dystrophy. The services they offer include; vocational training in IT and graphic design, employment for 17 young people, carers breaks and a fleet of 4 minibuses/carers to enable service users to be as independent as possible. Their application to ACT was for assistance to fund an automatic opening door to one of the bathrooms in their building. The installation of the door will make the bathroom more accessible to their clients and hopefully provide them with some independence. ACT were pleased to pledge £1,000.

August 2011 The family of a young lady with Retts Syndrome and many other conditions applied to us for help to fund a rise and fall bed. Without this specialist bed, which can be lowered to the floor while she sleeps, the lady was in danger of falling out of bed due to the seizures she suffers. Her family's health was suffering as a consequence as they were having to lift her in and out manually. A donation of £2,000 from ACT benefited the whole family.

July 2011 ACT were happy to pledge a grant of £500 towards a powered standing frame for a man with Parkinson's Disease. This man has an excercise programme to complete daily with his carers so as to maintain his current level of function and he is able to stand to a support with the assistance of two people. His OT feels the provision of a powered frame will have many positive benefits, bodily and psychologically for him.

July 2011 The parents of a 26 year old man with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy applied for assistance to fund a respite break for their son. The provision of respite at this specialist centre will also provide them with a much deserved break from their 24 hour a day caring role with the knowledge that their son is being cared for in a comfortable and appropriate environment with qualified staff able to provide him with the high level of support he requires. ACT's donation of £1,355 made this possible.

June 2011 The Kingwood Trust has launched a project to create Kingwood College. Located in Reading the college will have a new approach to the support of school leavers with autism making the difficult transition to adult life. It will offer a full programme of skills training and education in residential accommodation to prepare young people for the world of work however profound their disability. The college is scheduled to open in 2012 and ACT were delighted to be able to pledge £5,000 to this worthy project.

June 2011 An application for a walking frame was received on behalf of a 77 year old man with a number of complex medical conditions including Parkinsons and lung cancer. The four wheeled frame with a seat will enable the man to walk to a park, adjacent to his home with his wife, so that he has both fresh air and exercise. A donation of £100 from ACT funded the purchase.

May 2011 A 50 year old lady who has suffered an aneurysm applied to us for help to fund specialist equipment to enable her to read books and correspondence independently. Following an operation to rectify the aneurysm she was left with sight and memory problems and has had to rely on others to help her to read which is sometimes not appropriate when the documents are personal. ACT were delighted to make a donation of £1,195 to enable her to have a Clear Reader and Audio Text Reader.

May 2011 A donation of £130 was awarded to the family of an 8 year old boy with severe autism and learning disabilities so that they could purchase 5 Houdini suits. The suits which are all-in-one sleep suits are for children with special needs to prevent them from putting their hands in their nappy. The provision of the suits will ease the family's distress and prevent the boy from becoming ill.

May 2011 A 44 year old man with severe Rhumatoid Arthritis affecting every joint in his body applied to us for assistance to fund a battery pack for his wheelchair. The man, who's symptoms had caused deformities in his hands, was no longer able to self propel and his wife was struggling to push him as she has her own health problems. Our donation of £268 enabled him to purchase the battery pack to make accessing the community easier for them.

April 2011 The family of a 10 year old girl who has a complex seizure disorder, severe autism with global development delay as well as communication and behavioural difficulties applied for a grant to fund a specialist Tough bed for her. This little girl has broken countless beds and the provision of a very strong but attractive bed will hopefully put a stop to this. ACT were delighted to be able to award a grant of £760.

April 2011 Active 8 is a small charity based in Cornwall established to enable young people with a disability in this rural location to take part in outdoor activities and meet other young disabled people in the process. Their application to us was to help fund a series of 24 residential weekends every 2 years for 10 young people aged 14-17 to participate in. Activities available include surfing, sailing, flying big kites, cooking and just being together with their disabled peers which helps to boost their confidence and promotes independence and freedom of choice. ACT were pleased to be able to pledge a donation of £2,000.

April 2011 The parents of a 15 year old boy with Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy applied to us for help to fund a clos-o-mat toilet. The family were awarded a Disabled Facilities Grant to enable them to adapt their home to provide him with a downstairs bedroom and bathroom however the grant only covered the cost of the building work and not the specialist bathroom equipment they require. ACT's donation of £1,500 will be put towards the clos-o-mat toilet.

March 2011 The mum of a 10 year old boy with severe autism contacted us for help to fund a week's respite. Through the charity Break she wanted to send him to the The Rainbow Holiday Centre where he can have fun but be cared for by qualified people in a safe but stimulating environment. ACT were pleased to be able to help with a donation of £850 towards the cost as this will benefit both mum and son and help them to re-charge their batteries.

March 2011 Collingwood School is a special school, registered as a charity and based in Northumberland for children aged 4 to 19 who have disabilities such as Autism and Down's Syndrome. Many of these children come from the poorest families in Northumberland. The school applied to ACT for help with a project to update and refurbish their hall which is used for many activities such as physiotherapy sessions, assemblies, PE and dinners. The flooring in the hall has now become dangerous with the caretaker having to glue it back in place on a regular basis. Obviously this is potentially hazardous to the children and ACT were happy to pledge £2,500 towards the refurbishment.

March 2011 a 49 year old lady who has lived with Polio since childhood applied to us for help to fund a portable hoist to enable her to lift her mobility scooter into her car. Without a hoist this lady was reliant on other people to help lift it. Having recently undergone an operation to alleviate the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both of her hands the provision of a portable hoist will make all the difference to this lady and her ability to go out independently. ACT were delighted to be able to pledge £700 towards the cost.

February 2011 The PTA at Pinewood School, a mixed secondary school for children aged 11-16 with moderate learning difficulties, are fundraising for a project to convert unused space that they have into a training flat to be used to teach independent life skills to the children as well as to provide counselling and therapy suites where they can help and educate parents as well. A pledge of £4,000 was awarded towards the project and in particular the installation of the lift they require.

February 2011 A request for funding was received from the mother of a 13 year old girl with Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome. In addition to causing mobility problems this condition is a motor speech disorder which makes it extremely difficult for the individual to communicate. The girl is able to attend a mainstream school however her speech difficulties, which have deteriorated quite badly, mean she requires a communication aid. Instead of a bulky and costly traditional communication aid her mother acquired an i-Phone and came to us for help to fund the software, Proloquo2go, which transforms the phone into a small but highly effective communication aid. A donation of £110 for the software was awarded.

February 2011 A 58 year old blind lady, living alone since the recent death of her husband, applied for funding for a Brailler. This lady, despite using a wheelchair and being very frail, is an active member of her community and has involvement with her local Church and art group. The provision of a lightweight Brailler will enable her to take notes when she goes to meetings, telephone messages and other information. A donation of £445 bought the Brailler.

February 2011 The family of a 10 year old boy with low functioning autism applied for assistance to fund a waterproof mattress. The provision of this mattress will enable his mum to keep him dry and clean during the night and will alleviate some of the stress involved with the situation. A donation of £109 was made.

February 2011 Build IT International, a charity registered in the UK and Zambia, applied for funds for a building project they have undertaken in Zambia. Donata School for the disabled requires a new school building to continue their vital work as the only school offering specialist support in the region. The planned facilities will make a real and invaluable difference to the young people there and will allow for expansion in the future. In addition, the project will include training 12 local men and women in building skills using sustainable building materials and technologies. ACT were delighted to pledge £5,000 towards the project.

January 2011 A lady paralysed in an accident in 1974 contacted us for assistance to fund a wheelchair lift. This lady has been self propelling a manual wheelchair since her accident but has recently had to move on to a powered chair as she is no longer able to cope. The wheelchair lift will enable her to get her chair into her vehicle which means that she is not reliant on others to take her out. Our pledge of £500 will help her on her way to funding this vital piece of equipment.

January 2011 The mother of a 3 year old boy with a diagnosis of high functioning autism contacted us for help to fund a specialist buggy which will be suitable until he is 10. This boy has no awareness of danger and the adapted buggy will keep him safe whilst out and about in the community. As there was no statutory funding available ACT were happy to help with a grant of £324.

January 2011 ACT received a request for assistance from BASIC, Brain and Spinal Injury Centre, a small independent charity based in Salford providing specialist rehabilitation services to people affected by such conditions as a brain tumour, head injury, stroke, spinal injury or MS. They were seeking funding for three new pieces of specialist neuro-rehabilitation equipment and ACT were pleased to be able to donate £2,500 towards an Unweighing System.

December 2010 West Lancs Positive Living is a family led, not for profit, organisation set up to support adults with learning disabilities in the area. Their purpose is to help those who, due to the nature of their disabilities, are very often unable to access various social activities within the local community, to enjoy a social life and develop friendships away from their family. In turn this provides carers with a much needed break from their role. WLPL is currently supporting 30 individuals and their carers and families. Our pledge of £1,000 will support a couple of their planned activities.

December 2010 ACT were pleased to be able to provide a donation of £300 to help a 36 year old father of two children to fund a specialist software package. This man has chronic diabetes which has left him sight impaired and unable to read his own mail and help his children with their homework on the computer independently. The provision of the specialist software, which turns written text into speech, will greatly improve the quality of his life and help to make him feel less isolated.

December 2010 The carers of a 34 year old lady, living in a communal home, applied to us for funding towards a Camel Complete Air Moving Elevating Lift. This lady has physical and learning disabililties and suffers epileptic fits which can sometimes cause her to fall to the ground. As she is unable to raise herself independently the provision of this piece of equipment enables carers to move her in a safe and dignified manner without strain and injury to themselves. Our donation of £1,000 helped them reach their target.

November 2010 Based in Bristol, The Jessie May Trust provides respite care to children with a life limiting illness.   Their application to ACT was for assistance to fund Family Respite Days at their local disabled children's centre where the children can be cared for by their team of specialist nurses and enjoy a day away from home with their siblings while their parents benefit from being able to take a day off from their caring role.  Parents are also provided with the opportunity to meet other parents in similar circumstances.  ACT's donation of £1260 will fund one of these Family Days.

November 2010 Cherry Tree Nursery is the first project of the registered charity, the Sheltered Work Opportunities Project (SWOP).  Based in Bournemouth, the nursery addresses the great need for meaningful occupation for adults with severe and enduring mental illness providing them an opportunity to be involved in "worthwhile work in a realistic environment".  ACT were delighted to pledge £5,000 towards their Phase 2 works, a "Sustainable Building Replacement Programme",  to upgrade and replace their current buildings to make them more energy efficient and cost effective, etc.

November 2010 A young man who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy was pledged £1,500 towards the cost of a mobile arm support.  The Neater Arm Support which can be attached to the back of a wheelchair, supports the weight of the user's arm in a sling, enabling them to move their arm back and forth freely using their own muscle power.  The provision of this support will help him to carry out many daily activities including washing, shaving and teeth brushing independently and will enable him to continue working.

October 2010 A small vehicle adaptation has made a huge difference to a 62 year old lady who lost her leg in an accident at the age of 7.  This lady suffered damage to her other leg and has over the years developed arthritis in her knee and spine which results in poor mobility.  The provision of a flip up accelerator system means she can drive her automatic car allowing her to access her community and remain independent.  Our £450 donation has enabled this adaptation to be carried out.

October 2010 The Drake Music Project Northern Ireland is a registered charity which exists in order to facilitate musicians with all natures of disabilities to independently create and perform their own music.   They provide access to computer music workstations with specially adapted interfaces and operate weekly workshops, learning classes, theory classes, ensemble groups and residential courses for musicians with disabilties.  Their application to ACT was for assistance to purchase music technology equipment and additional interfaces - tools which are specialised and expensive.  ACT were pleased to support their work with a donation of £2,500.

October 2010 The Occupational Therapist of a 25 year old man applied to ACT for assistance to fund a specialist bath cushion.  This man suffered a brain haemorrhage at birth resulting in paralysis of the right side of his body and poor balance.  As he is now living independently the provision of this simple piece of equipment means he can bathe independently and in privacy with the confidence he can get in and out of the bath safely.  Our donation of £360 has made a big difference.

September 2010 The mother of a 5 year old boy with developmental delay, a heart condition and an immunity problem, applied to ACT for a grant of £123 for communicate-in-print software.  This little boy has problems with communication and interaction with his peers and it is hoped this software will enable the family to produce social stories, signs and cards to improve their communication with him and his understanding of others.

September 2010 A 54 year old gentleman, living alone with complex health and mobility problems, applied to ACT for assistance to fund a nebuliser and a wheelchair.  There was no statutory funding available and ACT were pleased to be able to make a donation of £369 for both of these items.

September 2010 ACT were pleased to be able to help the family of a 7 year old boy with Asperger Syndrome and ADHD with a donation of £2000 for sensory equipment.  This little boy is prone to violent outbursts and self harming and the provision of mats for the walls and floors in a calm space they have created for him will keep him safe and be beneficial for the whole family.

August 2010 Myriad Incorporated Limited is a registered charity based in Worcestershire offering a range of services for young people and adults with complex needs.  Their application to ACT was for funding to refurbish the kitchen at their centre in which they cook for up to 15 people a day, providing them with a hot, home made meal.  ACT were delighted to help them out with a donation of £2,000 towards the work.

August 2010 ACT were pleased to provide funding for a voice amplifier to help a lady with a diagnosis of inclusion body myositis (progressive inflammatory muscle disease) and a respiratory impairment.  As the lady's voice was very quiet and "breathy" she was unable to make herself heard which made communicating with others difficult and frustrating.  Our donation of £323 has greatly helped to improve the quality of her life and self esteem.

August 2010 Tools with a Mission ("TWAM") is a registered charity based in Ipswich who send refurbished tool kits overseas to enable people to earn a living and support themselves and their families.  They applied to ACT for help to provide a clean and safe working environment for the volunteers who repair and refurbish the tools.  A donation of £4,800 enabled them to acquire the specialist extractor Air Bench that will provide protection for the volunteers from dust and other particles.

August 2010 The mother of a 12 year old girl with severe congenital disabilities including spina bifida, hydrocephalus, epilepsy and learning difficulties applied to us for help to fund sensory equipment for a sensory room she was looking to create in the family home.  Her daughter is home educated and the provision of appropriate, stimulating equipment is vital to ensure she receives the sensory stimuli she requires as part of her developmental education.  ACT were pleased to make a donation of £724 for the padding to the walls and floor.

July 2010 An application was received to help a man with Multiple System Atrophy.  This gentleman has been assessed as needing adaptations to his home to make his life more comfortable and to ensure his future needs are met and a Disabled Facilities Grant has been awarded.  Unfortunately the cost of the works is higher than the amount he has been awarded hence the family's application to us for some assistance.  ACT were happy to help bridge the shortfall with a donation of £1,500 for the hoist he requires.

July 2010 Reigate and Redhill YMCA is a registered charity based in East Surrey.  They have served the local community for over 50 years and their programmes focus on the vulnerable, disadvantaged and disabled children, young people and adults helping them to lead a full and active life.  Their current aim is to create a purpose built, state of the art, dedicated facility to give children and young people the benefit of a centre that is equipped to meet their needs where they can access an extended programme of activities.  In turn, activities at the centre will give parents a break from the demands of caring. Their plans for the "hub" include a sensory and soft play area with an advanced hoist system to accommodate children with more profound disabilities.  ACT were pleased to be able to help them along their way with a pledge to donate £5,000.

July 2010 The mother of a 10 year old girl with severe learning difficulties and global development delay applied to us for help to fund a specialist harness to restrain her daughter in the car.  Without this harness her little girl was able to undo the seatbelt and move around the vehicle which was obviously extremely dangerous.  A donation from ACT of £108 helped this family out enormously.

June 2010 The National Society for Epilepsy made an application for help to fund machinery for a horicultural project they plan to run over a 4 year period.  The aim of the project is to provide work experience for up to 70 of their residents and local people with disabilities and will eventually provide an undercover glass growing area, 6 acres of land to grow fruit and vegetables, a classroom and a retail outlet.  The user-friendly machinery requested is required to develop the land and maintain it in good condition. ACT were delighted to pledge a donation of £1,500 towards this exciting project.

June 2010 An application was received from the Occupational Therapist of a lady with severe rheumatoid arthritis who required mobile arm supports to attach to her wheelchair.  The provision of these supports will enable her to use her arms to carry out tasks such as feeding herself, writing, using a computer and many more.   ACT were pleased to help with a donation of £1300 to help this lady who otherwise would have been totally reliant on others for all aspects of her care.

June 2010 A severely disabled man's sisters applied to us for help to fund a respite break for their brother.  Without our assistance they would not be able to take a break with their young families and he would not get a break away from his daily surroundings.  We were pleased to donate £595 to enable them to send him to a recognised respite centre, able to meet all of his complex needs thus allowing them a break with the knowledge he was being well cared for in lovely surroundings.

May 2010 Acre Housing is a charity based in Oxfordshire that provides specially adapted accommodation for young people with complex / severe learning disabilities and autism.  They are currently assisting 5 young adults who are all due to leave their residential colleges and have applied to ACT for help to fund adaptations to the property the young people will live in hopefully for life.  The adaptations include alterations to doors, bathrooms, the garden and the construction of a sensory area.  The young people will live there with support staff who will provide 24 hour a day care and receive help in their everyday lives.  ACT were pleased to pledge £5,000 to these essential works.

May 2010 ACT received a request from the Occupational Therapist of a little girl who suffers from a congenital abnormality called Subcortical Band Heterotopia.  She has many other associated conditions which can lead to her self-harming.  ACT were delighted to be able to assist with the funding of a weighted blanket which helps to calm her at her unsettled times and hopefully will ensure she sleeps better at night.

May 2010 The mother of a little girl with Retts Syndrome who has no mobility and no verbal communication applied to ACT for help to fund a BIGmack communicator.  This simple communicator has many uses including recording phrases from a story or a song for a child to play back at the right time.  ACT were delighted to donate £89.00 for this simple device that can make such a difference.

May 2010 ACT were pleased to grant a donation of £1,889 to a lady living alone with MS.  Her request was for assistance to fund a fold away mobility scooter.  This lady has lost the use of one leg and has limited mobility in the other and the provision of this scooter, she says, has given her a new lease of life.

April 2010 Louise from Surrey is a 30 year old lady who contacted The ACT Foundation to enquire is we could help her with the cost of a portable oxygen concentrator.  She had suffered childhood cancer which had affected her lungs and kidneys and diagnosed with plumonary fibrosis in 2006.  She received a single lung transplant in 2008 but has had many post operative complications since then.  Louise now needs oxygen throughout the day and night and a lightweight portable oxygen concentrator will enable this lady to travel independently without the worry of being without oxygen should she needs it quickly.

April 2010 Bag Books is a charity based in London which works with children and adults that have severe and profound learning difficullties.  They use multi sensory "books" which cover a wide range of age-related stories.  The stories are told from seperate page-cards, each with a seperate sensory element (an interesting shape, texture, sound or movement) relating to the story.  Each book is hand made and takes 8 hours to produce and is quite costly.  Bag Books approached us to see if we could help them with funding 48 copies of a new story called The Match.  The ACT Foundation were pleased to pledge £750 towards their costs.

April 2010 We were approached by the family of Rene, an 8 year old girl from London who has Cerebral Palsy which affects one side of her body more than the other.  She is unable to kneel, stand or walk independently but can sit unaided.  She has associated learning difficulties and has no awareness of danger.  At the moment she is sleeping in a profiling bed which was provided by NHS, but this is proving to be a problem as Rene tends to throw herself about and has fallen out of bed on a number of occasions and has chipped her teeth on the wall.  A cot which is padded internally and has a profiling platform with east access whould keep Rene safe and secure in her bed which will alleviate the risk of her hurting herself.  This piece of equipment is very expensive but The ACT Foundation were happy to to help out with a pledge of £2,500 towards the cost.

March 2010 A man who is registered blind and living alone with his guide dog applied to us for assistance to fund a speech enabled Trekker GPS system which he described as being "rather like a sat-nav used for directing sight impaired people from A to B".  This equipment will enable him to travel and access his local community independently thus eliminating any feelings of isolation.  ACT were pleased to pledge a donation of £750.

March 2010 ACT received an application from Friends of Wren Spinney, a secondary school and registered charity for pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties in Northamptonshire. The school have embarked on an exciting project to provide real-life opportunities in terms of work experience to their pupils by opening a shop in the town centre selling locally produced fruit and vegetables, garden items and old fashioned confectionery.  Pupils are fully involved in all aspects of the project including serving customers in the shop.  The building the shop is in requires disabled access toilets and ACT were delighted to be able to pledge a donation of £1,500 towards the necessary building works.

March 2010 A pledge of £2,000 was awarded to help a family on their way to raising the funds they require to install a through floor lift in their home.   The boy requiring the lift is 9 years old and has Cerebral Palsy affecting his whole body which means he is unable to sit or stand and he is reliant on others for all aspects of his personal care.  The installation of such a lift will mean he is able to sleep upstairs with his parents and that they will be able to get him up there without risking personal injury by carrying him.

March 2010 ACT were pleased to be able to help part fund a specialist chair for a 42 year old man with Huntington's Disease with a donation of £1,000.  This gentleman's condition means that he is unable to walk unaided or get up and down and in and out of a chair without assistance from his mother, his main carer.  The provision of such a chair will provide him with more comfort and hopefully help his mother with his transfers.

February 2010 Walthew House is a charity based in Stockport which plans to develop a specialist youth club for children aged 5-14 who are deaf, visually impaired, or both. They are seeking funding for equipment to be able to get the club up and running. The youth club will cater for approximately 30 young people per session where they will benefit from interaction with each other, and have the opportunity to learn new skills which they may not otherwise have access to. The ACT Foundation were very happy to pledge a grant of £1,000 towards this worthy cause.

February 2010 We were approached by the parents of a 12 year old boy from Surrey who suffers from epilepsy and also has a disability called Pachygyria, which is a malformation of the brain. His parents applied to us for financial assistance to purchase an epilepsy monitor as his bedroom was specially adapted for him but was downstairs in the family home. The monitor would alert them to any emergency and the provision of such a machine would give his parents piece of mind. The ACT Foundation were able to help with a grant of £585 towards this invaluable piece of equipment.

February 2010 Bridewell Organic Gardens is a registered charity based in Oxfordshire which provides land-based therapy for people suffering from a range of health problems with the main focus being on mental health. The charity helps people re-build their lives and return to work through participating in a variety of therapeutic activities including horticulture, blacksmithing, bee keeping and willow weaving. The garden is in a rural location and a lot of the clients need transport to be able to attend. The charity approached us as their minibus is now very old and becoming increasingly prone to mechanical breakdown and desperately needs replacing. The ACT Foundation were please to be help their fundraising along with a pledge of £2,000.

January 2010 We were approached by the father of a 5 year old girl who suffers room a rare neuromuscular condition called Nemaline Rod Myopathy. This means that she has profound muscular weakness leading to severe chest infections and which renders her immobile. She has to use a non-invasive ventilator overnight and also needs other equipment such as, nebuliser and suction machine as well as a powered wheelchair and profiling bed. Her parents are very worried that Tariq will suffer should they have a power cut (which happens quite often where they live) as none of her equipment will work without electricity. The ACT Foundation were very pleased to be able to help with the purchase of a backup generator.

January 2010 Audrey is a 55 year old lady who has had cancer twice and also suffered a stroke as a result of a heart operation.She has been left with fine motor skill problems in her left hand and needs to wear a specially fitted supportive glove which positions her hand and gives sensory feedback. Unfortunately this equipment is not available through the NHS and has to be funded privately and replaced every 12 months or so. We were very happy to be able to award a grant of £135 to pay for the glove.

January 2010 Jonathan is a young man from Hampshire who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and as a result is wheelchair dependent and very prone to chest infections due to muscle wastage. He has reduced ability to remove chest secretions by coughing and has been advised that a Cough Assist Machine will help alleviate further chest infections which is the greatest cause of death in the late stages of his condition. We were able to help Jonathon with his fundraising by pledging £1,750 towards the cost of this much needed piece of equipment.

December 2009 Oak View is a special school based in Essex for children aged 3-19 who have severe or profound learning difficulties, they may also have learning needs within the Autistic spectrum. They currently have 63 students and hydrotherapy benefits at least 50% of them. The students currently have to be transported to a pool in Epping which takes up to 3 hours out of their day (2 of which is travelling time). We were approached by The Friends of Oak View School to enquire if we would be able to help with a project to open a hydrotherapy pool on the school site. When not being used by the school, the pool would also be used by elderly people in the area as well as providing an income by being offered to young families through a baby swimming club. Fundraising is well underway and The ACT Foundation were able to help this along with a Pledge of £5,000.

December 2009 Molly is a 4 year old girl from Yorkshire who has severe cerebral palsy and is quadriplegic. The family have been awarded a Disability Facilities Grant of £30,000 to create a bedroom and bathroom for Molly but the family have had to move out of the house whilst the work was completed. The grant they received did not cover costs for replacing carpets or for decorating and the family were unable to move back in until this work was completed. The ACT Foundation were happy to help with a grant of £2,000 to help with these costs.

December 2009 Wherever the Need is a charity that is UK based and whose primary focus is helping with sanitation, water, livelihood and empowerment to disadvantaged and impoverished people . We were approached by them to see if we could help undertake a hygiene programme developing sanitation and fresh water facilities in Madalapattu Panchayat, near Pondicherry in India. Housing in this community is of poor quality and basic hygiene facilities do not exist. This leads to contamination of water supplies, disease and lack of self respect and dignity. The project would provide clean drinking water and eco-toilets as well as helping to establish a seamstress business making clothes and leather bags for sale. This project will take 18 months to complete and will benefits 1,250 people by providing sanitation and water facilities - something that we in the UK take for granted. The ACT Foundation were very pleased to pledge £30,000 towards this deserving project.

November 2009 Scott is a 25 year old who was born with Cerebral Palsy, is non-verbal and has learning difficulties.  Despite his disabilities, he loves going out with his family to new places and seeing new things.  Unfortunately if he has to travel in the family car for any length of time, he tends to slip over in the seat as he is unable to support himself for very long.  His mother then has to stop the vehicle to re-position him before continuing the journey.  We were asked if we would be able to help purchase a Burnett Support System for Scott which will alleviate the problem and improve his posture, support and safety.  We were very happy to oblige with a grant of £533.

November 2009 We were approached by the mother and carer of a 42 year old lady who has a degenerative neurological disorder which has rendered her totally immobile and needing 24 hour care.  She was assessed as needing a specialist supportive chair with head, trunk and leg supports that would meet all her postural and static seating needs.  Unfortunately these chairs are not available on NHS so we were very glad to be able to help out with a grant of £1900 towards the chair.

November 2009 The Scottish Spina Bifida Association is a charity based in Glasgow that was founded in 1965 to support those with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.  The association provides respite for families at Rebecca Cottage, a holiday home in a peaceful location that can accommodate 8 people. The property is in urgent need of renovation and updating to provide much needed additional specialist equipment.  The ACT Foundation were very please to be able to offer a pledge of £2497 to purchase a specialist nursing care bed for the accommodation.

November 2009 The Act Foundation were approached by Thomas, a 59 year old gentleman from Scotland who suffers from COPD and angina and uses a mobility scooter to get out and about.  The man explained that , due to the area that he lives, it would be unwise to leave the scooter outdoors overnight and that he needs the help of 2 other people to get the scooter out of his house.  A special scooter shed with a level access and doors that open outwards would allow Thomas to keep his scooter safe and dry.  He would be able to use it whenever he wanted to and without having to rely on anyone else for help.  The Act Foundation were very happy to grant a donation of £615 to purchase the shed.

October 2009 We received an application for a grant from the sister of a 47 year old man named Daryl who was born with Athetoid Quadriplegia (an inability to control all 4 limbs) and who has been in residential care home since he was 5 years old.  His mobility and speech are severely affected but he has learned to use an electric wheelchair by controlling it with his chin.  His sister explained that Daryl was a very bright, intelligent man who was eager to enroll is several courses at his local college but would need specialist computer equipment to be able to acheive this.  The ACT Foundation were able to pledge a grant of £1,000 to help purchase specialist software with a SmartNav head pointer to help Daryl fulfil his wished.

October 2009 A lady from the North East applied to ACT for help with an adaptation to a car that she was hoping to drive once she had passed her driving test.  The lady was born with a congenital abnormality which meant that she has no left forearm.  The vehicle would need an indicator extension, an easy release handbrake and steering ball in order for her to be able to drive.  This lady is a qualified lecturer and is hoping to gain employment once she has her transport.  ACT were pleased to grant £218 towards these vehicle adaptations.

October 2009 We were approached by the mother of Daniel, a little boy who was diagnosed with selective mutism but who was doing well at school.  Daniel and his sister were sharing a bedroom but were of the age where they each needed their own space.  The family live in an area where the council have very few 3 bedroom houses and having seperate rooms would mean that they would have to move out of the area and away from their support network, family and school.  The family feel that this would be too much of an upheaval for Daniel and asked The ACT Foundation if we could help with a grant to buy a folding room divider from Spazio, so that each child could have their own space, but remain living in the same property.  We were happy to oblige with a grant of £817 towards this cost.

September 2009 An elderly gentleman applied to ACT for help to fund replacement batteries for his mobility scooter.  This man is unable to walk unaided and his scooter means he can remain active and continue to live independently.  ACT were very pleased to grant a £150 donation.

September 2009 ACT were pleased to pledge a donation of £500 towards a Turnout car seat for a little boy with Cri-du-Chat Syndrome and many other health complications.This specialist car seat has a swivel base which will enable him to be transferred in and out of the family car in safety.

September 2009 A pledge of £10,000 was awarded to Wirrall Autistic Society, a North West of England based charity, for their Home from Home Respite Unit Appeal.  The charity are building a 6 bedded, autism specific, respite unit to help families with an autistic member to have access to high quality respite care.  The scheme is scheduled to complete in May 2010 with opening to its first clients from 1 July 2010.

August 2009 SeeAbility is a charity which enables blind and partially sighted people with additional disabilities to achieve more from life by helping to develop and maintain their life skills, retain independence, have access to good quality housing and support and to raise awareness about being included in their local community.  Their application to us was for help to fund the construction of a building which will provide six self-contained, specially adapted, en-suite bedrooms each with access to a shared sensory garden.  The six new residents are making the transition from children's support services to adult services and they all have a visual impairment and additional complex needs requiring high levels of specialist support.  The new building will offer them a degree of independence but in a stimulating and caring environment.   ACT were delighted to contribute £10,000.00.

August 2009 A 45 year old lady with MS who lives alone applied to us to assist with help towards funding of an extension.  This lady has limited mobility and was having to sleep downstairs as she was unable to access her bedroom.  She was assessed and awarded a Disabled Facilities Grant for an extension to her home which would provide her with a bedroom and toilet/showering facilities on the ground floor.  The ACT Foundation were delighted to be able to donate the funds required to make up the shortfall between the grant awarded and the actual building costs.

August 2009 Ferring Country Centre provides work and training experience for adults with learning difficulties.  Clients are able to develop work and social skills by assisting in the operation of a Riding Therapy School and through the Horticultural Unit where plants and produce are grown and sold to the local community.  Client's gain meaningful work experience by going out into the community for gardening projects which include maintaining the local church and scouts grounds.  Their application to us was for replacement mowers and  ACT were pleased to be able to contribute to these by way of a £500 donation.

July 2009 ACT were delighted to pledge the £4,200 shortfall in funding required to create a play space at Eaves Housing for Women, a registered charity providing refuge for women and children who have suffered domestic violence.  The play area is not for general play but instead provides space for professionals to work with individual and small groups of children who have suffered mentally and physically from abuse at home.

July 2009 A donation of £395 was granted to the family of a baby with a rare chomosomal abnormality which means she has various complex disabilities.  She is fed through a nose tube and has a tracheostomy for her airway.  A suction pump is required to keep her clear throughout the night which the family had been borrowing on trial.  ACT were very pleased to be able to provide the necessary funds for the family to have a portable suction machine.  This machine has been found to be a lot less noisy than other versions which in turn benefits the whole family by allowing them to sleep better.

July 2009 An application for a vibrating floor was received from the grandmother of a little boy with Norrie's Disease.  This little boy is totally blind and has a hearing impairment. Having this dual sensory loss profoundly affects his understanding of the world around him and the provision of the vibrating floor will provide valuable tactile stimulation.  ACT were very pleased to fund the purchase with a donation of £895.

June 2009 Southview School is based in Essex and educates and cares for 50 children, all of whom have severe physical, neurological and learning difficulties.  The school has been fundraising for a small hydrotherapy pool which will help even the most disabled children develop as much physical, communication and independence skills as possible.  The ACT Foundation were approached to see if we could help with the cost of providing some sensory equipment for the pool such as lights, sounds, switch operated toys and swim jets.  We were able to help the project along with a pledge of £5,000 towards these costs.

June 2009 The Seashell Trust, based in Cheshire is a charity that provides education and residential care for people with complex difficulties from across the UK.  We were approached by one of their fundraisers to see if we could help a young lady who lives with 4 co-tenants at one of their domiciliary care homes.  This young lady has Cerebral Palsy and has recently developed secondary features which severely limits her mobility and communication.  She requires the help of 2 carers for toilet transfers and showering.  A reclining shower chair will enable this young lady to be bathed in a safe and dignified manner without the risk of injury to any party.  The ACT Foundation were pleased to help with a grant of £1,634 to purchase this vital equipment.

June 2009 The Sick Children's Trust is a London based charity that runs 7 "Homes from Home" at key paediatric centres across the UK.  They provide accomodation to the families of sick children to stay for the duration of the child's hospital treatment.  Children's services currently at St James' in Leeds is being transferred to Leeds General Hospital which is too far away from their current "home".  The charity has been awarded compensation from NHS to enable them to build a new home nearer to Leeds General and building is due to commence in July 2009.  There was a shortfall in funds needed and The ACT Foundation were happy to pledge £4,100 which will fund a disabled access shower room.

May 2009 A 31 year old mum with a young daughter was delighted to receive £250 to fund the purchase of a hand held magnifier.  This lady has a visual impairment brought on by epilepsy and is unable to see to read.  With the help of the magnifier she will be able to deal with her day to day correspondence and read to her daughter.

May 2009 ACT were pleased to fund the purchase of special needs equipment for The Family Haven based in Gloucester.  The Family Haven, a registered charity established in 1988, provides a day centre where vulnerable families with pre school children, many with learning difficulties, can receive a pre-school education in the registered nursery whilst parents are given life skills via parenting classes and healthy eating workshops.

May 2009 A lady with MS applied to us to assist with funding towards an electric tilt table when unfortunately the services of her MS Group where she had been able to use a tilt table were withdrawn.  This lady has found the use of a tilt table to stand for 30-40 minutes per day has many benefits to her health and general well being including improving her breathing.  ACT were pleased to be able to make up the shortfall she required by granting a donation of £717.

April 2009 ACT were delighted to be able to fund the purchase of wall padding around the bed of a 15 year old boy who, having contracted meningitis aged 4, suffers from severe epilepsy which results in him banging his head on the wall during a seizure.  Hopefully the provision of this wall padding will prevent him from sustaining head injuries.

April 2009 A donation of £340 was awarded to a young man with Cerebral Palsy for a specialist keyboard with keyguard.  This young man has impaired speech and involuntary and uncontrollable movements and relies on his computer to communicate via e-mail.  The specialist keyboard will enable him to use his home computer to much greater benefit and to progress his college studies much more efficiently and independently.

April 2009 The Occupational Therapist of a lady with Multiple Sclerosis applied to us for help with the funding of a specialist medical bed from Theraposture.  This lady was at the stage where she could no longer transfer in and out of a regular bed and had been sleeping on her sofa.  ACT were pleased to contribute £500 in order for her to have the bed which will obviously provide much needed support and increased safety when transfering.

March 2009 ACT were delighted to fund the purchase of a special needs buggy for a 6 year old boy with autism.  As he has no sense of danger and is prone to running off this buggy will allow his mother to take him out in safety without the risk of him coming to harm.

March 2009 The carer of a 19 year old lady with cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia applied to us for help to purchase a portable hoist.  With the help of our donation of £1500 she was able to acquire the hoist and they are no longer limited as to the places they can visit and stay at.  This lady's carer is now planning to take her on holiday and has peace of mind that she will be able to make transfers in a safe and comfortable manner.

March 2009 ACT were pleased to make a donation of £2,500 to Happy Days Children's Charity, a charity providing respite breaks for families with children who have special needs as well as day trips, outings and residential trips.  Happy Days hope to provide 300 children with a respite break to various locations from September 2009 - March 2010 and have many worthy children on their waiting list.

February 2009 The parents of a 4 year old boy from Lancashire wrote to us to enquire if we could help them purchase a specialist sleep system for their son who has a condition called Lissencephaly (smooth brain). This condition which means that he has profound difficulties and complex needs and weakness in the muscles in his trunk, arms and legs. This little boy needs to be positioned in a symmetrical position whilst asleep to aid his breathing and also help him maintain good posture. The ACT Foundation were happy to oblige with a grant of £1,181 to purchase the specialist sleep system.

February 2009 UCanDoIT is a charity based on London which gives training and equipment to disabled and housebound people. They acquire 2nd hand computers and printers and refurbish them. Training is given to their clients and they are then equipped with their own internet ready computer and printer which can transform the lives of these people by giving them access to friends, information and other on-line services. The ACT Foundation were very pleased to be able help this project with a grant of £2,500.

February 2009 We received an application for a grant from the mother of a young lady from Edinburgh who has profound physical and learning difficulties and who relies on others for all her care. The mother was devastated when she accidentally broke the illuminated bubble lamp which she switched on in the evening to provide her daughter with stimulation and entertainment. Mum is a single parent who could not afford to replace the lamp. We we were pleased to be able to help by providing a grant of £485 towards the cost.

February 2009 The Bren Project is a charity based in Chester whose mission is to provide support and inspire disabled or those at a disadvantage to experience and enter the world of work. They help find work placements for their clients by providing a Job Coach and work closely with both the individual and employer to ensure that the placements are appropriate, safe and supportive. The ACT Foundation were very happy to grant a donation of £1,500 towards the purchase of office equipment.

January 2009 The mother of a 43 year old man from Yorkshire asked for our help to purchase a specialist tricycle for her son who has learning difficulties. The tricycle will help this man get some exercise which in turn will improve his overall mobility and hopefully avoid him having to use a wheelchair in the future, which is something his mother is keen to avoid. We were happy to award a grant of £500 towards the cost of the tricycle.

January 2009 Over the Wall is a charity based in Hampshire which provides residential camps for children who are affected by serious and life limiting illness. These camps offer a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities and are held throughout the UK. A camp in the Spring will be run specifically for the siblings of these children who often miss out of attention from their parents when they focus their attention on the child who is sick. We were more than happy to grant an award of £5,000 towards this week of respite for these deserving children.

January 2009 West Berkshire Mencap is a charity based in West Berkshire dedicated to providing services, fundraising and campaigning on behalf of people with learning disabilities, their families, carers and professionals. They asked if we would be able to help with their project to build an extension to their current premises which would increase their capacity by 33% and incorporate a sensory room, changing room and soft play area. We were happy to oblige with a pledge of £2,500 towards these costs.

January 2009 We were approached by the carers of a man from Wiltshire who had been left a tetraplegic as a result of an accident. He is confined to a wheelchair and as a result suffers from pressure sores. A bespoke pressure relief cushion will enable this man to sit in safety and comfort and greatly enhance his quality of life. The ACT Foundation were pleased to be able to contribute £795 towards the cost.

December 2008 Beacon Employment is a registered charity which helps people with disabilities and young disadvantaged people to gain training and employment. They applied to us for help with funding of a new minibus and ramp which will be used to transport people with severe learning disabilities to work under supervision in the community carrying out tasks such as grass cutting and other gardening activities. ACT were delighted to pledge £2,000 towards the minibus.

December 2008 A pledge of £2,000 was awarded to a lady who has lived with kidney failure for the last 40 years. This will enable the family to carry out the garage conversion they require in order that they may install a sterile room where she will be able to receive home dialysis rather than travelling to hospital three times a week.

November 2008 A man with Huntington's Disease, a progressive neurological condition, was awarded a grant of £2,500 for a specialist seating system which will help him to maintain a comfortable sitting position and be kept safe.

November 2008 A 40 year old man with schizophrenia received a grant of £550 from ACT to enable him to enjoy a week's respite at Forresters respite centre which will give him a break from daily stressors which can potentially result in him being admitted to hospital. This time away also relieves his parents from caring for him so is therefore beneficial to everyone involved. ACT were delighted to have been able to help.

November 2008 We received an application for a specialist computer keyboard from the mother of a 13 year old boy with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy and Global Developmental Delay. She describes her son as a sociable, outgoing young man who likes to communicate with others. ACT were pleased to be able to donate the funds required to purchase the keyboard which has chunky, square, colour coded keys, to provide this young man some independence.

October 2008 ACT were delighted to award a grant of £706 to a man born with Thalidomide for a mobility scooter. This chap is in constant pain following an accident and mobilises himself with two artifical legs. By helping him to obtain a scooter he will be able to enjoy the outdoors and take his young daughter to school.

October 2008 The ACT Foundation were happy to help a man born with Achondroplasia with adaptations to his existing car. Because of his condition, this man also suffers from arthritis in his joints, which has become more evident in his hips and making it more difficult for him to get in and out of his car. The grant of £1,450 was used to fit a specialist electric height adjustable drivers seat and modify his existing pedal extensions.

October 2008 We received an application for a grant from a lady who lives alone in Buckinghamshire and who was in remission from Breast Cancer. She was recovering from an operation connected to her osteoarthritis when she discovered an intruder at the rear of the property and this had made her very anxious and unsafe in her own home. Her local police recommended a security gate be fitted but this lady could not afford for this work to be done and so The ACT Foundation obliged with a grant of £546 so that this lady could be at home without the fear she had been feeling.

October 2008 Ocean Youth Trust South is a charity based in Hampshire which gives young people who are disadvantaged through no fault of their own, the opportunity to crew a specially adapted sailing vessel, The John Laing, all over the world. Regular clients include children's hospice's, special needs schools and homeless teenagers. These trips give the young people a boost to their self-esteem and a sense of pride. The vessel needs constant maintenance and new equipment to keep up with the necessary inspections it has to pass to be seaworthy and The ACT Foundation were happy to pledge a grant of £2,500 towards new ropes and lifejackets.

October 2008 The Act Foundation received an application from a caseworker for a man in his late 40's who is suffering from ME and confined to his bed because of this illness. He had been assessed to have adaptations to the property through a DFG but this did not include a security door opening system which would allow him to see who was at the front door, and if necessary open it without having to move. This piece of equipment will allow this man to feel secure in his home and also remove the need to exert his energy getting to the front door. The ACT Foundation were happy to pledge a grant of £395 to fund this.

September 2008 Shopmobility Stockport, a small charity established in 1997, approached ACT for funding to replace their fleet of elderly scooters. The free provision of the scooters enables many elderly and disabled people with mobility problems to access the shops and facilities of Stockport. ACT awarded a grant of £1,000 to help them on their way.

September 2008 ACT were pleased to award a grant of £1800 towards the purchase of a standing frame for a young man with Becker Muscular Dystrophy. This young man's condition means he is unable to stand or walk and is confined to a wheelchair. Using the standing frame on a daily basis will provide him with the exercise he desperately needs to keep his leg muscles stretched and to help prevent them from deteriorating.

September 2008 The family of a man hospitalised since January 2008 following a severe cerebral vascular accident approached ACT for a grant to purchase a stair lift so that he would be able to return home to be cared for. This formerly very independent man is now totally reliant on others and without a stair lift he would be unable to access the bedroom where he is cared for by his wife during the night. ACT awarded a grant of £1,800 so that he could leave hospital and return to his home.

September 2008 Thames Hospice, a local Windsor hospice, applied to ACT for funding to relocate and refurbish their main entrance and reception area. Thames Hospice has been providing care and support to patients and families living with cancer for the past 21 years and expect to help another 1,000 people in the coming year. ACT were very pleased to support the hospice with their plans by pledging a grant of £20,000 which will contribute to helping to improve their current facilities. Patient counselling rooms will be relocated in order to provide the best possible space with a reassuring and comforting atmosphere and an additional more private entrance for ambulances is part of the proposed refurbishment.

August 2008 The Assist Trust, an organisation that provides support and training opportunities for people with learning difficulties, approached ACT for financial assistance towards their "Moving On" project which they hope will give their members an opportunity to sample independent living in a secure and unintimidating way. Renovation work has recently completed at a property in Norwich to provide four flats as well as space for hosting training and recreational activities. ACT have awarded a grant of £2,500 to help equip the flats with the necessary white goods.

August 2008 A Jenx Bumble Bee chair was provided for a 10 month old child born prematurely with Cerebral Palsy and deafness. This specialist chair has been specifically designed to meet the needs of young children with disabilities and is fully adjustable to allow them much needed postural support as well as enabling them to interact with the family. ACT were delighted to have been able to help the family out with the purchase of this equipment.

August 2008 ACT received an application from a young man suffering from a severe skin condition. Despite being in constant pain and having his fingers fused together he is remarkably independent and resourceful and keen to live by himself. In fact he has recently acquired his own flat. ACT were happy to help out by purchasing various household items to assist this young man in his quest for independence.

July 2008 ACT were delighted to pledge £50,000 to Parity for Disability, a charity providing vital services, information and support for children and young adults with multiple disabilities and their families and carers throughout Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey. Parity currently runs two day centres in Farnborough and Camberley and are fundraising to build another centre.

 

July 2008 An application was received for a car seat harness from the parents of a 14 year old girl with microcephaly. This condition means she has global development delay and needs constant care and attention. ACT were pleased to donate the £88 required for this vital piece of equipment to enable the family to travel with her in safety.

July 2008 Children of Watamu is a charity based in a coastal village in Kenya who over the past 8 years have renovated and built 3 schools thus providing education to more than 700 children aged 2 upwards. The charity approached ACT to help with funding towards their latest project, to build a "Happy House", a place to take care of some of the many children orphaned by AIDS / Malaria, etc. or those who have been abandoned and left to fend for themselves. It is hoped the Happy House will provide these children with a safe home where they will grow as part of a family and care for each other as brothers and sisters. ACT were pleased to pledge £1,000 towards equipping the Happy House.

July 2008 Rochdale Special Needs Cycling Club provides bicycles and ancillary equipment to enable underprivileged children and children with disabilities to participate in rides into the countryside, etc. The charity found they were increasingly being asked to cater for children with more severe disabilities and to that end wished to purchase a specialist handcycle for paraplegics and children who are amputees. ACT awarded a grant of £1,250 for the handcycle.

June 2008 The Friends of Edith Borthwick School in Braintree, Essex supports 120 children with multiple disabilities, many of whom are unable to walk, talk or feed themselves. The school applied to ACT for help to install a specially designed sensory room with a range of highly stimulating equipment to be operated by the children using a variety of switches. This equipment will encourage the children to learn to develop their co-ordination and to be able to communicate their needs and the ultra violet facility will help those with visual impairment. ACT were very happy to pledge £2,500.

June 2008 The ACT Foundation awarded a grant of £1100 to help a young mother suffering from the latter stages of Multiple Sclerosis to purchase a portable gantry hoist. This has enabled her family to transfer her with greater ease and safety.

June 2008 We received an application to help a man suffering from HIV and more recently TB and MRSA with a week's respite at a specialist centre, Tyddyn Bach Trust, in North Wales. Owing to his ill health over the years this father has been unable to spend quality time with his two sons but with a grant of £100 towards his accommodation he will be able to spend time with them thus giving them the opportunity to bond.

June 2008 The parents of a 13 year old boy with Cerebral Palsy applied to us for assistance with accommodation costs to enable them to take their son to the National Athletics Championships where he has qualified to compete in the 100m and Shot Putt event. This is a fantastic achievement considering his disabilities and his school are very proud of him. ACT were delighted to award a grant of £165 to enable him to participate.

May 2008 The Rossendale Trust based in Cheshire provides 24 hour residential care for adults with learning difficulties. They support over 40 residents at their two main homes and a further 13 people at 3 smaller homes. They approached The ACT Foundation for help with funding a specialist bath that is height adjustable. The new bath will make bathing easier and safer for all concerned and also allow residents to maintain some dignity whilst having their personal care attended to. We were happy to oblige with a pledge of £5,000.00 towards the cost of the bath.

May 2008 The ACT Foundation were able to help a young mother from Essex who has a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy with a grant of £1694.00. She is a wheelchair user who has a two year old son who has damage to the inner part of his brain. This little boy has muscle weakness in his lower trunk and head. The grant was used towards the purchase of a specially adapted trailer which will be fitted to the rear of his mothers wheelchair and allow her to take him out on "walks" and participate in other activities independently.

May 2008 We received an application for a grant from Action for Blind People for help with funding for a Supernova Dolphin Pen for a lady from Devon who was born with cataracts. She is now registered blind after her retinas became detached following domestic violence. The pen will allow her to use specialist software on any computer without the need to download the programmes on each computer. This lady hopes to attend a RNIB college to gain qualifications and this pen will be invaluable to her. The Act Foundation were happy to pledge a grant of £310.00 towards the pen.

April 2008 Ro-Ro Sailing Projectis an organisation which have yacht's designed to allow severely disabled people take an active part in sailing and not "just" be a passenger. The purpose built yacht's are fully wheelchair accessible and are the only ones in the world built for this purpose. They approached the ACT Foundation for funding towards life jackets and we were happy to grant a donation of £2,500.00.

 

April 2008 The parents of a 13 year boy from Suffolk applied to us for help towards adaptations to a car they had purchased. Their son has Muscular Dystrophy and is a full time wheelchair user. His conditions is now deteriorating and he is no longer able to transfer independently. The family were raising funds for a ramp to be fitted to the car which will allow them to wheel the wheelchair directly into the back of the car. The ACT Foundation were pleased to pledge a grant of £2,500.00 towards the cost of the adaptations.

April 2008 We were approached by Children 1st, a Scottish charity, for funding towards a Personal Development Course based on Mull, for 12 of it's teenage young carers. The course would give the opportunity for personal development as well as providing a valuable break for the carers away from their difficult home circumstances. The ACT Foundation were able to help with a grant of £2,000.000 towards the cost.

April 2008 In September 2007, The ACT Foundation pledged £20,000.00 to Disability Challengers towards their adventure playground at Farnham. We are very please to hear that the project is very near completion and that the facility will be fully operational for the first time on 7th April 2008.

March 2008 The ACT Foundation were able to grant a donation of £1,545.00 to a young lady from Ayrshire who suffers from Cerebral Palsy. She will shortly be moving back into the community with the aid of a support package but needed a specialist shower chairto enable her to be as independent as possible.

 

March 2008 We were approached by the parents of a 16 year old boy from Staffordshire who has Cerebral Palsy and is unable to walk. As their son is now growing up he is becoming difficult to lift him from his wheelchair and into the car. A Turny specialist swivel seat with armrests would enable them to transfer him easily and allow him to travel in comfort and safety. We were happy to be able to help with a grant of £2,400.00

March 2008 Mapledown is a special needs secondary school based in Cricklewood, London and is for pupils ages 11 - 19 with severe and complex learning difficulties. It currently has 60 pupils on role. The school approached The ACT Foundation for a grant to help improve their outdoor play area which would provide their students with a stimulating environment. The school run an after school club which would ensure that the equipment was being used throughout the year. The ACT Foundation have agreed to help with a pledge of £5,000.00

February 2008 We received a grant application from the mother of a 9 year old girl from Surrey who was born deaf and had mild cerebral palsy. The mother wanted her daughter and her able bodied sister to be able to spend quality time together and heard about Disability Challengers. Disability Challengers is a charity which provides sessions enabling disabled children and young people experience new activites such as pottery, painting and swimming. The ACT Foundation were happy to grant a donation of £120.00 to enable both sisters attend for one week during the school holidays.

 

February 2008 Reach Out Projects is a charity based in Hertfordshire which has been providing opportunities and experiences to people of all ages who have disabilities and special needs since 1981. They currently have three Canal Boats on the Grand Union Canal which are equipped with lifts to allow wheelchair access and specially adapted equipment to allow disabled users be involved with the workings of the boats and locks. Reach Out approached The ACT Foundation to see if we could help with a major project to improve their boat base by installing a tiered ramp leading directly from their new reception area to the boat mooring. The ACT Foundation were happy to oblige with a grant of £5,000.00

February 2008 Castle Morpeth Disability Association is based in Northumberland and was founded in 1987. They have a pilot scheme for computer training for older and disabled clients, which results in them being given a reconditioned computer to work on at home. Old computers are collected from organisations and waste disposal sites and younger, disadvantaged volunteers will be trained to build and recondition the computers. This will give them work experience and in turn will give them better employment prospects. The ACT Foundation were able to help this pilot scheme with a grant of £1,000.00

February 2008 We received an application for a grant from a 44 year old lady from Dorset who has chronic arthritis, diabetes and asthma. She desperately needed respite and had managed to raise £300.00 towards a break at Forresters which is is a respite centre for people who have experienced any form of mental distress. She was still £264.00 short of the full cost and The ACT Foundation were happy to grant the shortfall.

January 2008 The ACT Foundation were able to grant £1482.00 to a man from Berkshire who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1981. The grant was used to purchase a hoist to go into his bedroom which will help with transfers and alleviate some of the workload for his wife, who is his main carer.

January 2008 Bluebell Wood is a newly built childrens hospice in Sheffield. It has 8 bedrooms, 7 family rooms and 2 rooms for siblings. The hospice will be able to care for 200 children per year and began a phased opening for respite in November 2007. The ACT Foundation were happy to help fund some of their equipment in their medical room by granting a donation of £5,000.00 towards the costs.

January 2008 The ACT Foundation were approached by the family of a little boy from Lancashire who has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, which affects all four limbs, and multi-focal epilepsy. It had been recommended that he be kept in a symmetrical position whilst sleeping which would keep him in a comfortabel position and also making it easier for him to breathe. Over time this would help prevent infections and dislocation of his hips. We were pleased grant a donation of £855.00 to purchase a Symmetrisleep sleep system.

December 2007 Tiny Tim's Children's Centre is a registered charity where children with Cerebral Palsy can go for treatment on a weekly basis and is completely free of charge. Treatment includes a range of neuromuscular massage, passive and active joint movement exercise, and in some cases force resistant exercise. The Act Foundation were approached for funding to help withequipment such as external decoration, ceiling tiles and automatic door openers as well as new fire doors. A donation of £1,000 was granted towards their new fire doors.

December 2007 The ACT Foundation were very pleased to be able to help a young man from London who suffers greatly from a communication disorder known as clustering, combined with stuttering. He had attended The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children and had been assessed as being suitable for using a Voice-Amp system. This device will allow him to listen to his own voice at the same time as speaking and allow him to continue his therapy and self-help. £1,250.00 was granted to allow his family to purchase this piece of equipment.

December 2007 We received an application from the mother of a nine year old girl from Rutland who suffered from Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, which is a life limiting condition. She is dependant on others for all her needs and is cared for at home by her mother full time and needs oxygen throughout the night. An O2 saturation monitor would give her mother peace of mind that her daughter was getting enough oxygen at times of need. The ACT Foundation were pleased to be able to grant a donation of £190.00 to purchase this equipment.

November 2007 We were approached by the full time carers of a lady with Cerebral Palsy to see if we could help towards funding for a stay at Vitalise over Christmas for her. Both of the carers were themselves going away and this lady was going to be left alone with no family living near. We were happy to award a grant of £550.00 towards the cost.

November 2007 The ACT Foundation were very pleased to grant a donation of £120.00 to help a man with Cerebral Palsy from London purchase a custon made lycra glove which will help him control his hand movements and provide him with sensory fedback.

November 2007 The Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH) is a charity providing information and advice about spina bifida and hydrocephalus to individuals, families and carers. The Greenwich and District branch have a small holiday bungalow that they let out for respite breaks to their members. The bungalow was in desperate need of refurbishment and the ACT Foundation granted £2,972.00 towards the cost of installing a hoist and showerchairto enable even the most severely disabled person to use the facilities.

 

October 2007 The National Autistic Society is a charity which providesspecialist individual care and support for 12 men and women aged 18-30 in two self contained residential houses. This year their aim is to fit sensory equipment in each of the houses "Quite Rooms". These rooms are where clients can enjoy "calm down" space and on occasions where it has been identified that clients behaviour is escalating towards an incident. The ACT Foundation were pleased to be able to grant an award of £1,500 towards the equipment.

October 2007 We were very happy to award a grant for £1,625 for a portable hoist, to a gent from Lincolnshire who has a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. This man falls out of his wheelchair occasionally and his wife can not help him back up from the floor due to a difference in their size. In the past she has had to call out the ambulance service or friends to help her lift him.

October 2007 We were approached by a gentleman from London who suffers from chronic complex needs which affects his mobility. He lives alone with help from a substantial package of care from the Primary Care Trust but wants to remain as independent as possible. He needs to be turned 3 or 4 times during the night to alleviate some of his pain and help prevent pressure ulcers but he didn't want a carer overnnight. A Baltic Bed is height adjustable so as to make his care easier, but also would allow him to turn over independently during the night. The ACT Foundation pledged a grant of £1,000 towards the cost.

October 2007 The Act Foundation were very pleased to be able to grant a donation of £5,000 to a small charity called Unity of Children, which is registered in the UK to benefit the work of the non government organisation Childrens Care and Protection Rwanda. This organisation works with the orphans of genocide and has set up the Nsinda Vocational Training Centre whose aim is to provide disadvantaged young people with vocational skills to enable them to find a job. The proposal is to expand the centre to enable 120 young people a year to be educated in vocational skills.

September 2007 We received an application from a gent who had suffered a brain tumour which resulted in blackouts and being left partially sighted. This gent had been self employed as a newsagent but was no longer able to see well enought to be able to continue. A Scanner Reader is a piece of equipment which can scan any page up to A4 size and which then "reads" the words back to you. The scanner has the ability to store at lease 200,000 pages. We were happly to grant a donation of £900 towards the cost of the equipment.

September 2007 The Meath Epilepsy Trust, based in Surrey provides support and a caring home for up to 70 adults with severe epilepsy who also have a learning and/or physical disability. The Act Foundation were pleased to be able to pledge £20,000 towards their refurbishment of some of their accomodation to provide bigger, single, en-suite rooms.

September 2007 We were approached by the mum of a young girl from Queensferry, in North Wales, to see if we could help with any funding for a specialist swivel car seat for her daughter, who suffers from cerebral palsy. Mum had been using a disabled turning circle to help her daughter into the car, but since the new law regarding children and booter seats came into effect, she was no longer able to use it. The ACT Foundation were able to help with a grant of £1,151.00.

September 2007 Disability Challengers is a charity whose aim is too support children and young people with any form of learning, physical or sensory impairment. They provide a range of fun and challenging activities for children of all ages. The ACT Foundation were very happy to offer support in the form of a pledge for £20,000 to Disability Challengers for their Big Play Appeal. Our grant will be used towards the adventure playgound for disabled children and young people.

August 2007 We were very happy to help the mother of a severely disabled young woman from Middlesex when she approached us for help funding some sensory equipment for her daughter. This young woman has multiple disabilities as well as learning difficulties and presents with challenging behaviour. Sensory equipment from SpaceKraft was identified and will help relax this young woman and so in turn reduce her challenging behaviour. Her mother is the sole carer and being able to stimulate her daughter in other ways with give her a little respite in her own home. The ACT Foundation granted an award of £450.

August 2007 The ACT Foundation were able to help a gent from the North West when he applied for a grant to purchase a duel wheelchair and scooter hoist for his car. This man had suffered a stroke and brain haemorrage 10 years ago and used a manual wheelchair or electric scooter for mobility. He and his wife used their car for longer journeys but were finding it increasingly difficult to lift either his wheelchair, or scooter into his car. The Backpacker hoist is used via a wired control on his car, or by remote control. An award of £1,998 was granted and will be used to help give this man and his wife back some independence.

August 2007 We were pleased to be able to offer support by way of a grant for £10,000 to Henshaws Society for Blind People. Henshaws College offers specialist further education for young people between the ages of 16 and 25 who are blind or visually impaired and who also have additional disabilities and educational needs. The grant is being used to help fund the second phase of a new 22-bed student accomodation which will include 10 rooms for wheelchair users and 2 self-contained, two bedroom "independence flats".

August 2007 We were approached by by the parents of a 12 year old girl for help in installing a hand-wash basin in their daughters bedroom. Their daughter has a rare genetic disorder called Falconi's Cystinosis which is a disease of the kidneys and means that she has to have dialysis every night. Hygiene and rigorous hand washing is paramount and the basin in her bedroom means that risks of infection are kept to a minimum. The ACT Foundation were happy to help with a donation of £765.

July 2007 Deafwayis an organisation based in Preston, Lancashire, which provides a specialist residential service for deaf people of varying ages from all over the UK. Some residents are able to live independantly through supported living, others will stay a resident for life. The ACT Foundation were able to pledge £2,000 towards modernisation of one of the lounges.

 

July 2007 We were happy to grant an award of £1,985 to a young lady from Shropshire who approached us for help with funding adaptations to her car through Steering Developments. This lady has an aggressive form of Rheumatoid Arthritis and had endured many orthopaedic operations. Adaptations to her car means that she is able to maintain her independance and mobility.

July 2007 We were approached for funding to purchase a mobility scooter for young woman who, after having meningitis as a child, was left with right sided weakness. The lady, from Stoke on Trent, has a small baby and will use a special harness to carry the baby whilst using the scooter. A grant of £1,180 was granted to purchase the scooter.

July 2007 The ACT Foundation were please to pledge £750 towards a Lightwriter with Dectalk for a gentleman who has speech problems caused by the effects of Parkingsons Disease.

June 2007We were pleased to be able to offer support to a young boy from London in the form of a pledge of £700 to be used for him to stay at Camp Horizon, which is a camp for children with special needs. This stay will provide much needed respite for his family whilst he is away from home.

 

June 2007 The ACT Foundation was approached by The Daisy Chain Project to help towards funding their Day Centre. Daisy Chain is based in Stockton-on-Tees and provides help and support for children with Autism and their families. The centre will eventually include an overnight respite facility. We were happy to pledge an grant of £5000 which will be used towards furniture and equipment for the centre.

June 2007 We received an application for a grant from a lady in Shropshire who had suffered Polio as a child and was having difficulty with independant feeding. We were able to grant an award of £750 which was used to help purchase a Neater Eater. A Neater Eater is an electric feeder that is programmed to serve food. It has many different operating modes to choose from for the movement of the spoon & for turning the plate and can be programmed for up to 5 individuals.

June 2007 We were very pleased to be able to help Treloar Trust by awarding a grant of £13790. The grant is being used to purchase a My Tobii eye gaze computer system which will allow the individual to operate a computer just by looking at the screen. One unit can serve many individuals by a quick and automatic calibration which is then stored as a personal file.

May 2007 The ACT Foundation was pleased to pledge a grant of £750 to young man who was injured in a road traffic and left a Tetraplegic. This man was having difficulty driving his adaped car due to lower limb spasms but had been using a MOTOmed exercise machine at the day centre he was attending, which had help reduce these spasms. The grant will be used towards the purchase one of the specialist exercise machines for the man to use in his home.

May 2007 We were happy to grant a donation of £320 to a boy of 10 from Enfield who is an insulin dependent Diabetic and whose parents are both disabled. The grant was used so that he would go on a respite break with Diabetes UK

May 2007 A grant of £500 was used to help an elderly couple from Scotland buy a power pack for their daughters wheelchair. The couple's daughter has Downs Syndrome and lives in a residential home. They visit her every day but had recently found taking her out in the wheelchair difficult due to their own poor health.

May 2007 The Orchardville Society is based in Belfast and is commited to working to ensure that a range of appropriate quality opportunities for social, personal and vocational develoment are made available to people with learning disabilities. We were approached to help fund catering equipment in a kitchen to train young people to give them skills used in the catering profession. We were pleased to grant £2,500 towards this project.

April 2007 We were happy to pledge £1485 to purchase a height adjustable tablefor an eleven year old boy diagnosed with Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy. The table will allow this young man to access his computer from his wheelchair and help support his trunk as his control decreases.

 

April 2007 The ACT Foundation was pleased to offer support to The Hollybank Trust by pledging £50,000. Our grant will help towards building Cliffe House which will be a home for life, for six adults with profound physical and learning difficulties.

April 2007 £1395 was granted to a young man with cerebral palsy to help fund a Mighty Mo communication aid. The aid will help him to integrate more fully into society, and he has recently been successfully interviewed for a part time post working for a charity.

 

March 2007 The ACT Foundation have pledged £5,000 to The Essex Autistic Society to help towards building residential accomodation for three adult service users with complex needs.

March 2007 A grant of £1342 was used to purchase automated window openers for a gent in the North West who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy. Having this equipment will enable the man to manage his own environment and comfort levels.

March 2007 We were very please to be able to pledge an award of £10,000 to The Garwood Foundation. The grant will be used to help fund a new annex to Rutherford School, which is a special school catering for children aged between 2 and 12 who have profound and multiple learning and physical disabilities.

February 2007 The ACT Foundation were please to pledge an award of £1000 to PICS (Parents Information & Contact Service) which will help fund a group stay at The Calvert Trust. The Calvert Trust is a centre specially equipped to allow disabled guests take part in activities they may otherwise be excluded from.

February 2007 Thrive is a national charity, founded in 1978, and makes use of gardening to change the lives of disabled people. They approached The ACT Foundation for a grant towards their Secret Garden Appeal and received a pledge of £2,500.

February 2007 The ACT Foundation were happy to support the extension of the Sussex Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Centre by pledging £5,000 towards their appeal. Part of the extension will provide a larger excercise room which currently only allows 7 people per class.

January 2007 - The Dame Hannah Rogers School provides a boarding school education for children with profound physical disabilities and has been been working with young children for over 200 years. The ACT Foundation were pleased to pledge an award of £30,000 towards an project to upgrade the bedrooms and bathing facilities for the students.

January 2007 - We received an application for a grant to fund a respite break for a disabled lady from The Midlands. ACT were happy to pledge £440 towards a break at a John Grooms specialist hotel catering for people with a disability.

January 2007 - The ACT Foundation were pleased to pledge support of £1695 towards an excercise machine for a 35 year old gent from Scotland. The Thera Live machine will allow this severely disabled man to passively move his limbs which in turn will help improve his circulation.

December 2006 - A grant of £749 was used to purchase a piece of specialist play equipment called a Super Pethna training aid for a seven year old girl from the Birmingham area who has Autism and a profound learning difficulty.

December 2006 - The ACT Foundation pledged a grant of £5,000 to The Cedar Foundation which is a charity based in Northern Ireland and works with people with physical disablilities. The grant was used to purchase furniture and fittings to a residential facility.

November 2006 - 29th November saw the opening of the new sportsclub at WAMDSAD which The ACT Foundation pledged a donation of £5,000 towards in March of this year. The aim of WAMDSAD is to provide sports and recreation and an active social environment for their members, who are both disabled and able bodied.

November 2006 - ACTwere happy to pledge £1,250 to St Albans Junior PHAB Club towards funding a residential trip to a specialist centre for some of their members. PHAB Club is a registered charity whose aim is to bring children with phisical disabilities together with able bodied children to take part in activities together.

November 2006 - We received an application for a grant for a little boy from Wales who suffers from a rare condition called Smith-Magenis Syndrome. This little boy has severe feeding difficulties and the grant was used to purchase a special unbreakable mirror which would be used to promote imitation and also encourage him to touch and taste new foods.

November 2006 - The ACT Foundation pledged £10,000 to Inspire towards their Boulevard Project. The Boulevard Project will provide training, recreational and social activities for people with learning disablilities from North East of Scotland.

October 2006 - Flying Scholorships for the Disabledis a charity which offers disabled students the opportunity to learn how to fly a light aircraft. The ACT Foundation have shown their support by granting an award for £10,000.

 

October 2006 - The ACT Foundation were pleased to grant an award of £1950 towards the cost of a Cougar Electric Cycle for a gentleman from Derby who surrers from Muscular Dystrophy

October 2006 - A grant of £525 was awarded to the parents of a 10 year old boy from Lanarkshire who suffers from Angelman Syndrome and epilepsy . This young boy wakes frequently through the night and the grant was used to purchase a heated water matress which will comfort and help him to sleep

September 2006 - ACT pledges £2,500 for specialist communication system for a man with Cerebral Palsy

September 2006 - Helen Ley House is a specialist nursing home in Leamington Spa, which offers respite care for people with Multiple Sclerosis. ACT awarded a grant of £4,800 to help towards their much needed refurbishment.

September 2006 - The ACT Foundation were please to pledge £2,500 towards a specialist bath for a 10 year old girl from Chesterfield who has a rare chromosomal abnormality and other complex disabilities.

August 2006 - We are delighted to announce that Trustees of The ACT Foundation have approved an award of £50,000 towards the cost of a new residential block for Prior's Court Foundation based in Thatcham, Berkshire. Priors Court is a school which caters for children between the ages of 5 and 19 who have been diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum.

August 2006 - The ACT Foundation took pleasure in awarding £4,500 to BASIC (Brain and Spinal Injury Centre) based in Salford near Manchester. The grant was used to purchase a specialist exercise chair for use in their auto-therapy gym, BodyBASIC at the Neuro Care Centre.

August 2006 - Cam Sight is a registered charity based in Cambridge which supports local visually impaired people to live independently. The ACT Foundation awarded a grant of £1,000 towards their Living Skills Training which covers food preparation and cooking in a specially designed kitchen. The grant was used to buy kitchen equipment which included a talking microwave.

July 2006 - ACTgrants £ 5,450 for half the cost of a specialist wheelchair for a teenager from Chesterfield with cerebral palsy.

July 2006 - The Act Foundation was pleased to donate £2,000 to West Sussex Mind towards a conversion which will provide 3 extra counselling rooms and two group meeting rooms.

June 2006 - Scope is granted £5,000 to buy equipment for Rutland House School which is a special school for children with cerebral palsy.

June 2006 - The ACT Foundation awards a grant of £2.000 to United Response which will be used to purchase communication aids for disabled with no speech.

May 2006 - Rehability in Co. Antrim receives grant of £1,500 towards new computer system.

May 2006 - ACT pledges £10,000 to The Federation of London Youth Clubs towards converting wheelchair accessible accommodation at Woodrow High House .

May 2006 - MENCAP in Ipswich is pledged £2,500 towards extension to a bungalow which will provide respite care.

March 2006 - ACT pledges £10,000 to The Eyeless Trust to help fund respite holidays for blind children

March 2006 - WAMSDAD receives a grant of £5,000 towards a new sports hall for the disabled.

February 2006 - ACT is delighted to announce the extension of its partnership with Treloar by extending its funding of the rehabilitation engineering unit for a further 3 years at a cost of £500,000. In addition ACT has pledged a further £500,000 towards new halls of residence at Treloar College.

January 2006 - Ovingdean Hall School for the deaf receives a grant of £7,237 towards a performing arts studio

December 2005 - The Link Centre for Deafened People is awarded a grant of £10,000

December 2005 - The Trinity Appeal for the homeless in Winchester is awarded a grant of £5,000 towards a new hostel

November 2005 - Mike Street OBE is appointed Chairman of The ACT Foundation following the retirement of Ted Gostling.

November 2005 - ACT awards The Hampshire Autistic Society £5,000 to help set up an IT learning suite

September 2005 - ACT awards a £4,300 grant to SIGN to provide sign language resources to deaf children

August 2005 - Action For Kids is awarded a grant of £100,000 towards its appeal to raise money for new premises.

July 2005 - ACT donates £100,000 to The National Star College in Cheltenham to help fund Cleeve Bungalow a new childrens home on the site.

June 2005 - ACT awards Holyport Manor School in Maidenhead a grant of £7,706 to purchase a "smart wheelchair".

 

May 2005 - Brighton Society for the Blind are awarded a grant from ACT of £4,177 to fund equipment for the blind.

April 2005 - Corbet Tey School, Essex, a specialist school for children with disabilities are awarded a grant of £20,000 by ACT to fund a sensory room and library.

April 2005 - Wavemakers sponsored by ACT holds its national awards ceremony at the Sound Café in Leicester Square.

April 2005 - ACT renews its partnership with Whizz Kidz and increases support to £100,000.

March 2005 - The Lord Tunnicliffe is appointed as a Trustee. Denis Tunnicliffe joined BOAC as a pilot after graduating with a maths degree from University College London. He flew for 6 years before joining the management team of British Airways and he held senior positions in industrial relations, planning, procurement, marketing and strategy. In 1988 he became Managing Director of London Underground and served in that role for ten years before becoming chairman of LU and the Chief Executive of London Transport, a position he held until its break up in the year 2000. In 2002 he joined the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and was for two years its part-time non-executive chairman. On 1 April 2003 Denis became part-time non-executive Chairman of the Rail Safety and Standards Board, and more recently joined the House of Lords as a Labour working peer.

February 2005 - SENSE are awarded a grant of £11,300 to help with the refurbishment costs to a care home for the deaf blind.

February 2005 - ACT awards a grant of £4,155 to The Rochadale Cycling Club to buy a rickshaw to allow disabled children to enjoy cycling with the club.

February 2005 - ACT awards The Disabilities Trust a grant of £25K to furnish its newly completed rehabiliation unit in Ely.

January 2005 - Airways Charitable Trust Limited announces that it has changed its name to The ACT Foundation. See our Press/Web Release for more information.

November 2004 - ACT provides a £200K grant to Seeability (www.seeability.org), formerly the Royal School for the Blind, towards the construction of Windmill Court in Honiton, Devon, which will provide 8 supported living apartments for young adults with disabilities.

November 2004 - ACT provides a £50K grant to Hollybank Trust (www.hollybanktrust.org.uk) towards the refurbishment of a new residential unit in West Yorkshire for young adults with disabilities.

November 2004 - ACT agrees to partner with John Grooms (www.johngrooms.org.uk) and Dame Hannah Rogers School (www.damehannah.com) in Devon to provide post school residential units for young adults with disabilities.

October 2004 - Royal School for the Deaf, Cheadle are awarded £10,000 towards the cost of funding and equipping a sports hall www.rsdmanchester.org

October 2004 - ACT awards the Orpheus Centre, a residential school for the disabled in Surrey, a grant of £16,400 to fund disabled access conversion costs www.orpheus.org.uk

August 2004 - ACT pledges £1m to White Lodge for the rebuilding of its respite cottage.

August 2004 - ACT partners with Whizz Kidz for the provision of mobility aids for disabled children.

July 2004 - ACT provides £500K over 3 years to Treloar Trust to help fund the Rehabilitation Engineering Unit.

July 2004 - ACT to fund the refurbishment of Willow and Jasmine, children's houses, for The Children's Trust

June 2004 - ACT pledges £100K towards the new International Children's Hospital at Moorfields

May 2004 - Our new website goes live.

May 2004 - ACT purchases school in Sao Paolo for the use of Meninis do Morumbi

April 2004 - ACT becomes the first grant partner for Wavemakers (previously Child of Achievement).