Conceived
in 2010, Give Us A Break is the dream of a family that literally had nowhere to
go.
Dawn &
Peter Raynor are the doting parents of 3 very special children. The eldest is
an articulate, intelligent and very caring brother to his younger, identical
twin siblings, Callan & Ethan. Twins
that suffer with Tuberous Sclerosis, a rare genetic disorder that causes
intractable epilepsy.
Where do
you holiday when you have a '16-year-old 6-year-old' that needs constant care
and attention? Where do you holiday when
you have two of them? How do you give quality parental time to your eldest,
when the twins so desperately need your constant vigilance? Where can you take your children where they
will not be constrained by social etiquette and the misconceptions of others?
Give Us A
Break 2010, the charity formed by Dawn, wants to build a centre which will
provide short break facilities for children such as Callan & Ethan and
their parents / carers. A haven where
the children can be set free to literally do what they want. A large, comfortable, ranch-style home where
disabled children can visit with their carers to pursue a number of activities
in a safe and stimulating environment.
Run, shout, sing, dance, climb, swim and splash without being shushed or
stared at. Cook, paint, be creative, or
be quiet, calm and relax, then spend the night in a comfortable bedroom
specifically designed with their needs in mind but with the comfortable feel of
their 'own room'.
West Cumbria urgently needs a
suitable Short Break Centre located nearby to support children with disabilities
and their families. Currently, a
suitable facility does not exist and/or would require extensive travel or
financial commitment to access. It is
unreasonable to assume that families should continue to struggle on a daily
basis, with long waiting lists, driving excessive distances and working through
difficult systems to access care.
By providing a 24/7 Short
Break Centre we would be giving children and their parents a much needed
service in the West Cumbria area. We
need to give parents/carers a place that supplies a fun and caring environment,
a chance to sit down for 10 minutes while their children play happily, to
socialise with other parents from a similar background and have a break that
parents /carers desperately need. This
will promote a community based environment and approach to the needs and lives
of these individuals who have currently not been given the opportunity of a
more fulfilling lifestyle.
Children with a variety of
disabilities such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, Fragile X, etc, will
be able to come to the centre and have fun in a secure, fun environment where
they can learn and have some independence.
This independence is as basic as learning to wash their face, clean
their teeth, dress themselves etc. all things that we take for granted in our
‘normal’ everyday lives.
