Our
Ambassadors Our Ambassadors
“Lacia vento odis et, sandaerae rem inciasp isquam cus a volupta sitiscimin non conecusda cum qui con remquis di acculliquate vid eatestibus ditaestrum, sus eatquam quas apient about thirty words” Nicholas, dad to Alexander and one of our beneficiaries. Just one example of how we do it – practical help, support and invaluable advice.
Our Ambassadors pledge significant support over time to help families with disabled children across the UK. The rewards of raising a disabled child are tremendous. So are the practical, emotional and financial costs. 1 in 20 children in the UK are disabled and Contact a Family provides life-changing practical and emotional support to those families. We are the only charity that supports all families with a disabled child regardless of their disability, which means families can come to us for help with any issue. This is what makes us unique.
Please make a life-changing gift for families with disabled children.
Pledge your support over three years and make a vital difference Become an Advocate Ambassador by giving £1,000 each year and as thanks for your generosity you will receive: ■■ A personal letter of thanks from our Chief Executive for your commitment ■■ Your name published in our Annual Review if you wish ■■ Quarterly updates and invitations to events Become a Custodian Ambassador by giving £3,000 each year and as thanks for your generosity you will receive all of the above, plus: ■■ An invitation to meet our frontline staff to personally hear about how your donation is making a difference ■■ Invitations to events and the opportunity to invite others to support Contact a Family.
Become a Guardian Ambassador by giving £5,000 each year and as thanks for your generosity you will receive all of the above, plus: ■■ An invitation to meet with our Chief Executive and senior management team over the course of your Ambassadorship Become a Champion Ambassador by giving £10,000 each year and as thanks for your generosity you will receive all of the above. ■■ In addition, Champion Ambassadors will have a personalised level of thanks and recognition tailored to their interests and availability. Become a Platinum Ambassador by giving £50,000 and as thanks for your generosity you will receive all of the above. ■■ In addition all Platinum Ambassadors receive a highly tailored thank you programme led by the CEO which will include a special thanking dinner with our Patrons and other VIPs.
We are passionate about helping families
“If it wasn’t for Contact a Family I wouldn’t be the person I am today. It is their help, support and continuous efforts to support my family, that makes me strong.” Clare Lally, mum to twins Katie and Holly and one of our beneficiaries. Our Ambassadors help us to help more families – making their lives stronger.
1 in 20 children in the UK is born with a disability. Contact a Family is the only national charity that is there for all of them and their families whatever their condition or disability. Our vision is that families with disabled children can live the lives they want. This means they know how to get the best for their child and their family stays strong and happy. We want families to achieve their full potential, for themselves, for the communities they live in, and for society as a whole. We’re a distinct charity dedicated to exceptional families – our name says it all, we reach out to the most isolated families in society and improve their lives. Recently our Chief Executive, Srabani Sen, was honoured with an OBE in recognition for her work on behalf of disabled children and their families. Paul Streets, our Chair says: “Srabani is incredibly passionate about Contact a Family and the work it does supporting families with disabled children. Under Srabani’s leadership, the charity has become a real force for change, helping families with disabled children across the
UK overcome the barriers they face and raising awareness of the issues that affect them. The Trustees and staff are all very proud that the work she does leading this unique charity has been recognised.” Srabani has spearheaded an extension of the charity’s reach by working with other disability charities like Scope, Mencap and Carers UK. Such collaborative campaigning work has led to real improvements in the lives of over 50,000 families with disabled children who are now better protected from financial disadvantage. Our Patrons include award winning writer Claire Tomalin. She says: “I’ve been a Patron of Contact a Family for over 20 years. Parents tell us that raising a disabled child is a privilege but we also know the huge pressures on them and the continuous struggle to live anything like a normal life. Contact a Family is committed to being there for every one of them. This commitment means that we need to raise more money across our range of services.”
We are inspired by our families and work with them Families with disabled children
have the same hopes and dreams as other families. But they are met with practical, physical, financial and emotional barriers. Parents with disabled children do such an amazing job and we are incredibly proud to help them overcome these challenges. Parents with disabled children are experts by experience. We use this knowledge to make a positive difference to their lives and those of their children. We believe families with disabled children deserve better and we won’t stop until we have achieved our mission. We are brave and take risks in striving for what is right.
We transform lives We work with our families to transform their lives - breaking down barriers and tackling disadvantage through collaborative and innovative work.
We are a force for change Contact a Family is committed to ending the poverty, disadvantage and isolation experienced by families with disabled children across the UK. We support families with a wide range of life-changing help and services. We improve the circumstances of families with disabled children, and for their
right to be included and take part in society.
Why help us now? We already give life-changing support to hundreds of thousands of families a year but more and more are coming to us in need of our help. As a result, the demand for our services continues to be far greater than we can meet. We need to raise awareness of the plight of families with disabled children. We need to raise more money to continue to give practical help and support to thousands of families who are at breaking point and are crying out for support. And for every pound raised 90p is spent on charitable activities – directly supporting families with disabled children.
Who will you be helping? By becoming an Ambassador you will help the parents of newborn disabled babies and children with rare conditions and disabilities. You’ll help lone parents and the siblings of disabled children. You’ll help families living in poverty. You’ll be helping hundreds of thousands of families.
“We are in a much better place thanks to Contact a Family. If we go to them with a problem they are always happy to help and never turn us away. The staff understand what we are going through. They see the potential in our children, and in us. “ Adejoke, mum, one of our beneficiaries. This is what we do – really make a difference and significantly improve lives.
The cost of helping families with disabled children
£3,000
will pay for 50 families to attend workshops where they can access local services, meet other families
£9,000
will pay for 50 families to attend workshops where they can access local services, meet other families and learn vital skills such as how to manage debts.
Across the UK, right now, we are: ■ ■ Helping families overcome challenges like getting
their children into suitable schools so they can get the education they need and deserve ■ ■ Providing advice and information nationally to families
on how to get the essentials like wheelchairs or other equipment ■ ■ Bringing families together so they can support and learn
from one another – this is vital for those families whose child has a rare condition ■ ■ Preventing family breakdown by offering free
counselling and we visit families offering 1-1 help with complicated education and benefit forms making sure they get what they need
£15,000
■ ■ Helping families work effectively with medical
will provide 25,000 families with invaluable information guides covering practical advice on subjects like education for their child.
Visit www.cafamily.org.uk for more on all the essential work we do to make families stronger and happier.
£30,000
Today, in the UK
pays for our specialist education needs telephone helpline for two years.
£50,000
pays for 3 Parent Advisors who help up to 1,000 families on a 1-1 basis in a year.
professionals in their child’s life.
■ ■ It costs 3 times as much to raise a disabled child as a
non disabled child. Often parents can’t work because they are full time carers which leads to severe financial hardship ■ ■ Almost a quarter of families go without heating and 1 in
7 parents go without food because they can’t afford it ■ ■ Isolation has caused 25 per cent of families to break up
“I joined the Ambassador scheme because these are hard and worsening times, and Contact a Family provides comprehensive support and advice to families with a disabled child. Contact a Family is committed to being there for every one of them. This commitment means that we need to raise more money across our range of services.� Claire Tomalin, author and Contact a Family Patron
Your gift is life-changing. Your support is vital. “I am delighted to support Contact a Family’s new Ambassador programme. The charity needs long term financial help so that it can continue to support families with disabled children. It is equally important that these families know that there are people like you out there who believe in them and support them. Please consider becoming an Ambassador on behalf of families with disabled children and supporting Contact a Family’s invaluable work.” Samantha Cameron
For further details and any enquiries please contact: The Major Donor team T 020 7608 8757 E ambassadors@cafamily.org.uk
Incorporating The Lady Hoare Trust. Registered Office: 209-211 City Road, London EC1V 1JN Registered Charity Number: 284912. Charity registered in Scotland No. SC039169, Company limited by guarantee Registered in England and Wales No. 1633333. VAT Registration No. GB 749 3846 82