Charity calls on Telford community to give children with disabilities the gift of play this Christmas

Newlife The Charity for Disabled Children is best known for providing disability equipment to children such as specialist wheelchairs, buggies, beds and car seats so they can make the most of all life’s opportunities, but it also provides a loan service for specialist sensory toys to make play accessible for children who struggle with standard options.

Now the charity has launched its Christmas appeal to raise funds so more children across the UK can play thanks to the service, just like Gabriella who has continued to benefit from the loan of Newlife’s specialist toys since her first delivery as a baby, which saw her become the star of Newlife’s Christmas Campaign in 2022.

Ella, as she is known, was born with achondroplasia, a known as dwarfism, which means she has shortened arms and legs and smaller hands which made it very difficult for her to play with standard toys.

Now an excitable and cheeky four-year-old who has just started school, she has needed some modifications to help her join in with all reception class has to offer, including lowered coat pegs and a smaller toilet, and is now finding Newlife’s specialist toys can still benefit her as she enters this new chapter, but it’s a stark contrast to the first 12 months of her life when Gabriella had to lay flat on her back.

As Ella had a curved spine, poor core strength and little neck control, she was unable to sit up by herself and would become easily bored and frustrated. She desperately needed toys to focus on to help distract her and help her development – which is when loans of specialist sensory toys through Newlife’s Play Therapy Pod service became invaluable, stimulating Ella’s interest in playing and encouraging her to reach out and grab toys.

Not only did this improve her core muscles and stability, it meant her big brother, Samuel, would also get down on the floor and use the toys to play with her too, which helped their bond grow.

Mum Laura said: “Ella continued to use specialist toys on loan from Newlife up until the age of three when she was able to play with standard toys. Although her hands are still small and she has trident fingers, which are stubby with wider spaces between them, they have caught up enough for her to play without specialist toys – but now she is at school and loves to do crafts her hands have trouble with the necessary fine motor skills, so we’ve turned to Newlife again.”

The Play Therapy Pod service is just one of the services Newlife provides to children with disabilities across the UK, including grants of equipment, emergency equipment loans to meet changing medical needs and a Nurse Helpline to provide support ranging from condition specific information, help with benefits and even mental health support for struggling families.

Simret Ghuman, Newlife’s Play Lead, said: “Play is how children learn about the world around them, develop new skills and find enjoyment, but children with disabilities may need specialist accessible toys to help this happen.

“Our toys can create the most magical moments between parent and child or between siblings and help families really learn more about what their child’s needs are. Each of the Play Therapy Pod boxes are filled with carefully chosen toys to encourage learning as well as improve relaxation, give enjoyment and help to distract from pain. They are also a great way to discover what a child responds to without having to purchase them and potentially make expensive mistakes.

“We have different categories of play pods to choose from, depending on the child’s age, physical and learning abilities, and medical needs and the feedback we have had from parents shows us that our loan service can have a real impact, both for the child and their family.”

To donate to Newlife’s Christmas campaign please visit newlifecharity.co.uk/thegiftofplay