Diverse Abilities Short Breaks Team hosted a bake sale to help raise funds for the disability charity and to spend more time with the families they have supported throughout the pandemic.

The team raised £45 through the sale of cakes, biscuits, and refreshments.

Clare Rochford, Short Breaks manager, commented: “It was wonderful to see so many people over the course of the day, some of whom we haven’t been able to see since before the pandemic due to shielding and vulnerabilities. 

“The money raised will make a huge difference in helping to provide activities, days out, and equipment for the children we support. Many of our usual services went online during the pandemic so we could still help the families that needed us most, but it’s been great transitioning these sessions back into real life as and when people have felt comfortable to do so.”

The Short Breaks team support families through a number of services:

• Coping with CHAOS – for SEND children and their families to enjoy play sessions and activities together on weekends and school holidays
• Project – activities for SEND children aged eight and over on weekends and school holidays
• Awesome Nights – a youth club for SEND teenagers on Wednesday nights
• STARs – a support and activity group for siblings of SEND children

Alongside serving cakes and refreshments, the team were also available to chat to new parents who had heard about the services and wanted to find out more about how to refer, and those who had not come across the charity and its offering before.

Visit diverseabilities.org.uk/children to find out more about the services available and how to refer. The Short Breaks Service is based at West Moors but hosts activities and days out throughout the county.