Dreams Come True is the only national wish-granting charity that solely supports children with a disability, serious illness or a life-limiting condition – and who live in the highest areas of social deprivation in our country today
Our mission is to turn dreams into a reality for every child who needs our attention - the moments of magic we create deliver lasting impact for children and their families.
Right now, there are 3.9 million UK children living in poverty - that’s 27% of children in the UK. With the economic recession affecting us all, it is the children and families Dreams Come True serves who are feeling the impact the most. Our work supporting children who have it tough is needed now, more than ever.
In 2023, we are on track to support over 3,200 children – amazing children like Klayte who lives in one of the highest areas of deprivation in the UK. He has cerebral palsy and can miss out playing with his brothers due to his walking being compromised, painful and he frequently falls. On his sixth birthday, we made Klayte’s Dream Come True by delivering a specially adapted trike. With a small change, we have made a BIG impact to Klayte’s life - now he can join in with his brothers, feel included and, most important of all, create memories with his siblings.
We know our dreams deliver impressive impact and bring great benefit. In our 2022 survey, 100% of our dream families said their child’s dream made a positive difference to their lives. Their mental health and well-being improved from 37.5% to 95% and their development (communication and physicality) improved by 60%, while socialisation and inclusion improving by a remarkable 80%.
There are many children in Sussex who need our attention – the county hosts eight special educational needs schools located in areas of social deprivation. We have only very recently launched a dreams programme in the county.
At the end of 2022, we awarded our first Sussex dream to Hillpark Secondary School, Portslade – a school which supports children with moderate, severe and profound learning difficulties. It is their dream to have an unused playground relaunched with the installation of new equipment. This dream will benefit the 199 children who attend the school – and many hundreds more in the years to come. We are very grateful to Legal & General, Hove office, for its support of this dream and generous donation.
As a small charity, with an ever-increasing big job to do, we need new major partners to help us reach children who as yet have not benefited from our work. We are looking to enlist support from local businesses in the Sussex area to work with us to deliver dreams with purpose – and bring moments of magic with lasting impact.
Join us - and you and your colleagues can become #dreammakers reaching children in your local area who didn’t dare to have a dream.
www.dreamscometrue.uk.com
lisa@dreamscometrue.uk.com
