Aberdeen Voice

Lisa Grainger and Michelle Ferguson of Cash for Kids with charity mascot Courage the Cat launching the 2015 Bed Appeal

With thanks to Ian McLaren, Innes Associates.

A major campaign that has the potential to change lives by providing underprivileged children in north-east Scotland with a bed of their own and local disabled youngsters with specialist beds has been launched by Cash for Kids.
Now in its third year, the charity’s month-long Bed Appeal aims to raise £25,000 to purchase beds for more than 100 children living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

The appeal was officially launched on Saturday at John Lewis in Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen-based charity has provided over 260 beds as a result of its two previous appeals. This has included specialist beds for disabled children. One such child that Cash for Kids has supported is Rhys Munro.

The five-year-old from Banchory is blind and has epilepsy, and also suffers from severe reflux and poor trunk control. Due to his condition he lacks mobility and requires a safe and secure place to sleep and spend time during the day.

Having outgrown his cot, his family applied to Cash for Kids for assistance to purchase a specialist, fully-adjustable £4,500 bed for the youngster. The bed is fitted with protective sides to prevent Rhys rolling out and hurting himself. It can also be raised or lowered electronically, allowing it to meet his changing needs and those of his carers.

His mum, Sarah Newman, said:

“The support we have had from Cash for Kids has been brilliant. The bed was very expensive and I never thought we would get funding to cover the total cost.  I was absolutely elated when I found out they would cover the total cost. This fully-adjustable bed is future-proof, which is a massive weight off our shoulders.

“Rhys’s condition means he will never be able to sleep in a normal bed as he could roll out, so a specialist bed was needed. A bed is a basic thing, but for us it ticks so many boxes. This bed is life-changing. Not only is it somewhere comfortable for Rhys to sleep, but it doubles up as a place we can change him, so being able to electronically adjust the height of the bed to suit the carer is important.

“Rhys would probably spend most of his day in his bed. He absolutely loves it. Because of his disabilities he doesn’t have mobility and isn’t able to run about like normal children, so the bed is somewhere he spend time during the day listening to music or audio books and we know he is safe and secure.

“Donations to the Bed Appeal can make a massive difference to people on your doorstep. A bed seems like a simple thing, but for certain children it is a vital, basic need and can be life-changing.”

Cash for Kids provides grant funding to families, children’s groups and associations across the region on a quarterly basis. It is once again running the appeal in response to a large number of applications from families to help fund a bed for their child.

The charity is again working with Aberdeen mattress, divan and furniture manufacturer and supplier Glencraft. The bed firm, which operates as a social enterprise, will supply beds to Cash for Kids at a reduced rate.

Michele Binnie, Cash for Kids charity manager, said:

“We continue to be surprised by the number of applications we receive from families seeking funding to purchase beds for their children. Cash for Kids’ Bed Appeal not only aims to ensure these children get a good night’s sleep, but also improve their health and quality of life.

“With this year’s Bed Appeal we hope to provide greater support to families with disabled children. As we have seen with Rhys, specialist beds are vital for these children and their families. Although the bed costs a considerable amount, it has a transformational impact on their lives. The smallest of donations to the Bed Appeal can make a large, positive impact on children’s lives here in the north-east.”

Robert Garnish, head of branch at John Lewis Aberdeen said:

“John Lewis always aims to contribute to the well-being of the communities where it operates, and here at John Lewis Aberdeen, we are really pleased to support local charities in any way we can. The Cash for Kids Bed Appeal is such a fantastic way of raising money to help support local families in the area, and we’re delighted to be supporting it for a second year. We really hope that the campaign continues to grow from strength to strength.”

Cash for Kids is calling on the north-east public to get behind its Bed Appeal, which runs throughout July. The charity is encouraging people to wear their slippers to work for a month, organise breakfast bake sales and hold pyjama or onesie to work days.

Any individual, organisation or business that wishes to get involved in the Bed Appeal should contact Michele Binnie on 01224 337010 or michele.binnie@northsound.co.uk, or visit www.northsound1.com/bed.

Cash for Kids is Northsound Radio’s listeners’ charity. It makes grants to individuals, families, children’s groups, organisations and projects throughout the Northsound transmission area. All money is raised locally and spent locally to benefit local disabled and disadvantaged children and young people under 18. More information on Cash for Kids can be found at www.northsound1.com/cashforkids, or telephone 01224 337010.

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