A break for us and to watch the kids be free, safe and happy

“Family Fund gave us a grant towards a family break. We used this at Christmas to see my family in England. I worry about affording Christmas and it can be a struggle to afford the travel. Christmas can also feel even more lonely and isolating than the rest of the year. You see families doing Christmas activities, at grottos or garden centres. My family can’t do that because it often doesn’t suit Blakes’ needs, or there’s too much queueing involved.

“The Family Fund grant allowed us to book a break that would suit all of us. We went to a theme park with a Christmas Festive Forrest. Both kids loved the lights and as it was outside, they had so much fun without getting overwhelmed. Blake loves Premier Inn hotels, so we stayed at a Premier Inn. We wouldn’t have afforded this without Family Fund’s grant.

“It’s actually the first Christmas that we have pictures of Blake and Amayah enjoying themselves, as usually Christmas is so overwhelming that we forget, and can’t do activities that other families can do. It’s the first Christmas that Andrew and I can look back on and say, ‘that was nice’.

“Andrew and I live every single day in fight of flight. We feel like we’re constantly on 100%, watching and panicking. This break gave us the rest we needed, to be able to watch the kids being free, safe and happy.”

The Big Give Christmas challenge

You can give the gift of quality family time this Christmas to families like Blake’s, by donating today. Until midday on 10 December, your £5 donation will be doubled to £10, so your kindness will have twice the impact.