Kieron and Kathy
“It was great to find somewhere that we both felt we fitted in.”
Harrison and Fiona
"I wouldn’t be the parent I am today without the support we have received."
Fiona says:
“Harrison first attended SNAPS at the age of 18 months. Walking through the doors that very first time, I was nervous, but I needn’t have been because it was like coming home, home to a family who truly understood.
“Harrison struggled with his gastro system since birth, feeding and severe GORD (Gastro Oesophageal Reflux Disease) was always such a painful struggle for him and he began his ‘tube feeding journey’ at just 6 weeks old. Since then, he has had multiple complex operations and was later fitted with a Gastrostomy tube directly into his stomach as a more permanent solution for his condition. Aside from navigating such complex medical needs Harrison is also Autistic and awaiting an assessment for ADHD.
“There are obviously huge barriers within our day to day lives which prevent us from accessing things but coming to SNAPS those barriers are immediately removed. Harrison has the freedom to explore his surroundings with people there who respect and understand his differing needs. He has built connections and formed friendships with others which has filled him with confidence. To see his happy smiling face when he knows we are coming to SNAPS is a huge reminder of what a strong, courageous, resilient young man I have the privilege of calling my son.
“Harrison had his first Hydrotherapy session after turning three years old. He began his journey very resistant to the pool, the water and the noise. Slowly, Harrison became more comfortable in his surroundings and after a term, Leanne was able to take him on his swimming journey and he has flourished ever since. I never expected the sheer strength and determination to prevail and for Harrison to love the water as much as he does. Water is his happy place and that is all down to Leanne’s tireless support, recognition of his needs and building a strong connection with him and always finding an approach that works. I am immensely proud of him and his confidence in the water.
“Harrison has accessed a number of different events over the years including football, dance and music, and we have built such a strong sense of belonging within SNAPS. I am extremely grateful for Jo’s constant unwavering support and knowing she is there for me as well as Harrison is hugely reassuring. I certainly wouldn’t be the parent I am today without the support we have received and I know that Harrison wouldn’t be the confident, determined young man he is either. Thank you for everything!”
Lewis and family
"We don't know where we would have been if it wasn't for SNAPS."
“Lewis was born with Cerebral Palsy, which affects all of his limbs and communication. We were told about SNAPS at a group we attended, and so thought we would give it a go. Lewis was 10 months old when we went. The staff made us feel at ease when we came in and there were lots of families who gave us support along the way as it was all new to us.
“Every week, we played in the hall and then Lewis was given a hydrotherapy slot. It took time for him to get used to it but he got on really well not realising he was working on his muscles whilst having fun in warm water. This gave me chance to talk to other parents and carers to get ideas and share experiences, and also made me feel a little human again.
“As time has gone on and I have had two other children, it has not been as easy to juggle things, but at SNAPS there is always a friendly member of staff to talk to and help in any way they can, as well as the families who look out for each other. My girls are able bodied and love to spend time supporting new families with their young children helping them to play whilst their parent or carer can have a chat with others. All of us have grown in confidence. It is lovely when Lewis’ sisters have been nominated for awards for being kind and caring, and I myself felt brave enough to become a Parent Trustee.
“Lewis is now 14 and still loves to attend and have hydro, which helps him in so many ways outside of SNAPS. We don’t know where we would have been if it wasn’t for SNAPS and the fantastic team.”
Ayaan and Attia
"SNAPS has a hugely positive impact on Ayaan's wellbeing."
Attia says: “Ayaan is autistic and has complex communication and sensory needs, resulting in significant anxiety.
“Leading up to him attending SNAPS, Ayaan didn’t want to leave the house. He wouldn’t attend any community activities and wouldn’t allow any visitors to come. We understood Ayaan needed to feel safe in his immediate environment and over time, this allowed us to try SNAPS. Ayaan attended his first ever SNAPS stay and play session in June 2022, and I knew then he would return the following week when he said: ‘goodbye SNAPS see you next Saturday’”
“SNAPS has always provided Ayaan with a safe play environment. Initially Ayaan would stay for shorts periods of time during the stay and play sessions and he would leave when he started to show slight signs of becoming overwhelmed or anxious. This worked well for Ayaan and he has always left SNAPS feeling positive, which has supported him to attend every weekend ever since.
“The team at SNAPS are amazing in facilitating him to settle with minimal demands or expectations, while providing him with consistent and familiar activities for him to access and engage with at his pace.
“In September 2022, Ayaan attended his first ever 1:1 swimming session at SNAPS which helped develop his confidence and love for the water. He loves his swimming teacher Leanne and the support she has provided Ayaan with during his swimming lessons has had a massive impact on his overall mental well-being. When he struggled during the week, he would think about SNAPS and look forward to attending on Saturday.
“SNAPS continues to a hugely positive impact on Ayaan’s overall wellbeing, and it continues to be the one and only activity he can access. I want to thank every member of the SNAPS team for supporting Ayaan and our family and being such a positive part of our lives. “
Celebrating our volunteers
This week is Volunteers Week, a chance to recognise, celebrate and thank the UK’s incredible volunteers for all they contribute to our local communities.
SNAPS was founded by a small group of volunteers and, 20 years later, they remain very much at the heart of our charity. So, we couldn’t let this week pass us by without taking the opportunity to say a huge thank you to our wonderful team of volunteers. Volunteers are integral to SNAPS and support us in so many ways. We couldn’t do what we do without them!
Volunteering with SNAPS is hugely rewarding. Here are some thoughts from just some of our wonderful volunteers.
“Volunteering at SNAPS is a way to utilise and extend my skills and experience to support a cause I am passionate about. I particularly like that SNAPS not only supports children and young people and their parents, but also their grandparents and siblings and other relatives, and I love working with such a supportive team.
“If you’re able to volunteer, you should go for it! You will feel valued and you can make a difference!”
– Laura, Admin Support Volunteer
“I started volunteering at SNAPS last year and I’ve absolutely loved it! I really wanted to gain some hands-on experience with hydrotherapy to further my knowledge for my university degree of Physiotherapy – SNAPS is the perfect opportunity to do so!
“Working with the children and families is so rewarding, and my favourite thing is to see the children’s faces light up when they get into the pool. It’s amazing to see how they can develop over weekly sessions and how their confidence can change. Thank you SNAPS for this opportunity!”
-Niamh, Volunteer at Penny Field
“As a student nurse, I wanted to discover how care needs differ for people with learning difficulties. I can then apply what I learn at SNAPS and ensure I am able to provide the best care possible to people with learning difficulties or disabilities.
“I enjoy working at SNAPS as I am able to work with lots of different children with a range of learning needs. I am glad I am able to give some of my time to support an organisation that is so important for the children and families that use this service.”
–William, volunteer at Penny Field
“I first started volunteering for SNAPS as a way to gain experience ahead of my physiotherapy degree. Five years later, I am still here! It is hard to describe the impact the children and families have had on me over the years, but I am so proud to have been a small part of their journeys.
“SNAPS is one of those places that is hard to let go of and I encourage anyone who is thinking of volunteering for them to give it a go!”
– Becki, volunteer at Penny Field
“I am excited in connecting with the children and their parents. It is fulfilling about working for the children and play with them. I am enjoying it!”
-Kelvin, volunteer at Penny Field
If you’re interested in volunteering, we have lots of opportunities available, such as helping to raise funds for our services, spread the word about what we do, working at our events, or assisting at our sites in Penny Field or Broomfield.
Volunteering with us is a wonderful chance to help with children with additional needs and their families, whilst having lots of fun! Here at SNAPS, we are a supportive team and aim to help our volunteers reach their own personal and career goals.
If you are able to offer a few hours a week to help us, we would love to hear from you. Find out more about our volunteering opportunities here.
Strata & SNAPS take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks
They did it! A huge congratulations and thank you to all of the members of the SNAPS and Strata teams who took on the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge.
The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge is 24-miles (38.6km) round trip route, and includes 1585m (5200ft) of ascent. Ingleborough, Whernside, Pen-y-ghent.
The weather conditions were as tough as the terrain, but the group did an amazing job of staying in good spirits and completing the trio of mountains.
Between them, the team have so far raised over £5,800. We are so grateful to each and every member of the team, you all did an amazing job. A huge thank you to our friends at Strata and also to David and the team from Ikigai Adventures their support and leadership of the challenge.
Watch this space for more adventures in the future…
Dan and Sam
"SNAPS continues to be a joy, a sense of pride and an amazing community which we are proud to be part of."
Sam says: “Dan was born in 2001 with complex physical and learning disabilities. Looking after Dan was difficult, tiring, fun but challenging. We were very lucky to find a number of other families with young children who were also struggling to find adequate support. So, in conjunction with Anne Gait, six families got together in a drafty church hall and determined to set up a new charity called SNAPS.
“The idea was to support children with special needs, their families, siblings and parent or carers. We loved the idea that when we met other families, experiencing the same journey, we felt that SNAP! That’s how I feel. Sharing was so exciting and it was such a relief to know that we weren’t alone.
“Initially in 2004 we set up monthly ‘stay and play’ sessions and a newsletter, that was soon being sent out to over 100 families. Then we started hydrotherapy and added swimming lessons for the more able and for siblings. As we got better at fundraising, we added and tried out new services such as sing and signing, dance and trampolining.
“Dan loved attending, he absolutely loves swimming. I continued as Chair of SNAPS for 10 years and I was so lucky in 2012 to be recognised for my volunteering role, as I was nominated as one of the Olympics torch bearers.
“I am now honoured to be an Ambassador for SNAPS and extremely proud to support such a wonderful charity that is growing and supporting loads of families. Myself and Dan (who is now 22!) are so grateful for the support that SNAPS gave us, for the friendships that we made and for the empowerment that we gained through our work with the group.
“SNAPS has, and continues to be a joy, a sense of pride and an amazing community which we are proud to be part of. We are so excited to see what the next 20 years brings and what will be the next chapter in the SNAPS story will be!”
Oliver and Jenny
"We can't imagine our lives without SNAPS now."
Jenny says: “Our first event with SNAPS was the Superhero Challenge, and it was so brilliant, we’ve never looked back.
“We originally came for our daughter Millie, but her brother Ollie gets as much out of coming as Millie. He can’t wait to come every week for football, to play in the hall and outside at Broomfield, as well as also going up to Pennyfield to help his best friend Archie and his transitions into swimming.
“Both children, myself and their dad have made lasting friendships through SNAPS and we’re so grateful for all their help and support. SNAPS provides us with a safe and understanding space where we feel at ease and comfortable.
“The staff are always so friendly and welcoming and have supported us to get other help or signposted us to organisations as well which has been invaluable.
“We can’t imagine our lives without SNAPS now.”