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We launch our Big Birthday Brunch

This April we are launching our 50th anniversary year with a Big Birthday Brunch and we’d love you on board- to raise vital funds for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, hit hardest by the current cost-of-living crisis.

Frosted cupcakes displayed on colourful plates, with family fund flags in the top of them

We are asking people nationwide to get the coffee and croissants at the ready and invite family, friends and colleagues to brunch (at home, in the workplace or wherever they fancy) to raise funds for families caring for a disabled or seriously ill child.

By hosting a brunch you’ll be helping fund essential grants and services for families – from kitchen appliances, clothes, beds and bedding to digital devices and training to support learning and development, outdoor play, sensory equipment or family breaks.

Check out The Big Birthday Brunch to get your free pack and find out how to get involved. Or contact our fundraising team on [email protected] to get help with your event.

Here’s how a brunch fundraiser makes a big difference:

  • £5 provides three more families with essential information about finances
  • £40 provides new bedding for a child who needs frequently changing
  • £100 helps cover emergency hospital visiting costs so a family can travel, and stay near, their child

Cheryl Ward, Family Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, says: “For 50 years we’ve played a vital role in supporting thousands of families struggling to meet the extra costs of raising disabled children.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we’re seeing even more families needing our help, a 135% increase compared with before the pandemic.

“Holding a Big Birthday Brunch for us this April is a chance to have fun, share some time with friends and family and raise funds for a brilliant cause- so we can go the extra mile for families with disabled or seriously ill children who urgently need our help.”

“From croissants over a cuppa to a full-blown breakfast buffet- every penny raised makes a really big difference to families right across the UK. Thank you for your support at a crucial time.”

Last year we delivered over 170,919 grants and services, worth over £37 million, to families on low incomes across the UK.

Recent research by the charity revealed that families are now facing a triple whammy of sky-high costs on top of severely reduced incomes, due to intense caring responsibilities and three-times-higher costs to look after a disabled child.

Fancy another way to support families raising a disabled child this year?

Check out more 50th fundraising events
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Fifty years of Family Fund

Since 1973, we've delivered over 1.5 million grants to families caring for disabled or seriously ill children and young people. Speaking to Family Fund recently, dad Mark shared his feelings on the help his family received from us 15 years ago, when his daughters were young.
Read Mark's story