Norfolk SEN Network

NORFOLK SEN NETWORK

Helping families get educational support

Norfolk SEN Network helps parents of children with special educational needs to access the services that are best for their child. As a charity which receives no statutory funding, they are entirely dependent on donations from individuals and businesses. The demands on special education providers and charities have never been greater, increasing pressure on the resources available, and in turn leaving less time for fundraising.

“Most of our committee members are parents of children with special educational needs, so we know firsthand how difficult it can be for parents. There’s a lot of bureaucracy and it can take months to find the best services for your child. We help parents navigate the process, find professional and legal services, and also give moral support.”

As Norwich City of Ale charity partner for 2019, Norfolk SEN Network benefitted from an increase in awareness and donations. And City of Ale have announced they’ll be continuing the partnership for 2020 too.

The charity has also had lots of support from two Norwich pubs, the Walnut Tree Shades and the Duke of Wellington, who’ve organised fundraising events over the past year.

The latest fundraiser at the Walnut Tree Shades was a live music event, with some amazing bands including headliners Das Fenster and The Alibis. The pub donated 50p from every pint sold, and there was a raffle with loads of great prizes, including tickets to see Norwich City FC vs Liverpool FC, kindly donated by Woodforde’s.

Licensee Claire Brooks wants to thank all her customers who have supported their events and given so generously. “Your donations raised an amazing £2,088 in our first year plus another £368 at our recent live music event, which was so much fun. We hope you’ll help us to raise even more money this year, so Norfolk SEN Network can help even more families.”

Events coming up include quiz nights on Wednesdays - 4 and 18 March, 1 and 15 April, 6 and 20 May. There’s also a special event on Easter Sunday, featuring bands, games, and a raffle with more fantastic prizes.

The Duke of Wellington raised over £2,200 in 2019 from their collection tins, a charity fishing match with Wroxham Angling Club, auction and raffle. They also raised over £400 by asking guests to donate during a family wedding held at the pub.

Much of the fundraising is organised by parents in the network, like Liam who is running the London Marathon this year. “My son Oscar was diagnosed with ASD (Autism) at age 4. Oscar struggles to cope with school and it’s a continuous struggle for my wife Nichola and I to get him the right support in his education. Our desperation in the early days led us to The Norfolk SEN Network and Pat who guided us through the mountains of red tape. Without her I’m not sure where we would be today and I owe the charity a debt of gratitude. I’ve set up a fundraising page at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ liamlondonmarathon2020. I work as a showroom manager for Easy Bathrooms in Norwich and they have promised to match whatever I raise.”

Norfolk SEN Network aims to

• Help make significant change to young people’s lives now and for the future.

• Help get the right education for children and young people with special educational needs.

• Offer training, independent support and legal advice.

• Care about the individual and their family and support with school and local authority challenges.

If you or someone you know could benefit from support, Norfolk SEN Network offers free and paid membership options. Their AGM is taking place at 12-2pm on Wednesday 11 March at Sprowston Diamond Centre.

How you can help

As well as joining in with the fun events in the pubs and City of Ale, you can help the charity in a few ways:

• Donate prizes for stalls, raffles and games – gifts, vouchers and experiences are all suitable.

• Share your ideas for fundraising activities – and even better if you can help organise them!

• Find a home for a collecting tin – do you know any pubs, shops or businesses who could take one?

• Give us 30 minutes – we always need volunteers, even if you don’t have much time to spare.

• Join our committee – if you have experience in education, we’d love to have you on board.

• Donate via our website www.norfolksennetwork.org - and share the link with others.

Get in touch

norfolksennetwork@hotmail.co.uk www.Facebook.com/norfolksennetwork Call 01603 300178 Registered charity no. 1044353.