A children’s movement disorder charity is celebrating after receiving another £40,000 from BBC Children in Need, with the same sum again expected in 2021.
Based in Muswell Hill, CPotential is a not-for-profit organisation, led by Brett Parker, that runs therapy for children and young people with problems such as cerebral palsy, global developmental delay and acquired brain injury.
A first tranche of Children in Need money in 2019 allowed the charity to deliver nearly 3,000 hours of therapies to young people with movement disorders. The new grant will be used to continue providing subsidised sessions for disadvantaged families.
Johanna Vigilante, communications manager for the charity told the Ham&High that the funding means CPotential now offer physiotherapy on top of its school and conductive education service. Plans underway to start occupational therapy including sensory integration, employ speech and language professionals, and provide wellbeing coaching for families.
Johanna said: “We were super grateful to still receive our second tranche of the funding, to cover some of those costs, and obviously to subsidise many of our rates for all the families. In an ideal world we’d love to give them all for free. That’s obviously all fundraising dependent, and grant dependent, and that is still a struggle.”
Johanna said a “one-stop-shop approach for families” is the goal, adding: “The more we can bring under our one umbrella, it will make it a lot easier for families to come to us first, and we signpost to some of these key areas.
“That’s the feedback we get commonly from families, that they have to go over many, many hurdles, or they have to go to many different places, to search around for the right thing, and if they can come to one place and get some tailored advice and continuity, they would prefer that.
“We’re looking at new technology, some really interesting equipment, gait analysis machines, robotic arm devices, we’re trying to be innovative, we have a fresh vision.”
Valentina, mum of Ivy, three, a child with Cerebral Palsy, said: “CPotential’s job doesn’t end when the session is over as they empower us with so much knowledge that we can take home and carry on helping Ivy when we are not there. The advice, support and care we receive is priceless, and the variety of activities is endless, making them a 360 facility where they can help every aspect of Ivy’s difficulties.”
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