A Community Coming Together
At our recent sponsors event, Amanda Preece, the head of Manor Green Primary School, gave a speech to highlight what The Greenaway Foundation’s Christmas efforts meant to some of the families at the school who received our Christmas hampers.
These were Amanda’s own words:
‘As a special school setting we support 215 children with complex special educational needs. Three quarters of our pupils sit at the most complex end of SEND and the impact this has on their families financial health can be significant.
Many of our families are single parents as the pressure of supporting a child with very complex needs can impact parental relationships heavily. Some families are unable to work as they need to be able to take their children to their numerous health appointments, be able to respond to situations as they unfold in school and need to be able to drop off and pick up their children at the end of the school day.
For many of our families, Christmas can be a difficult time – one filled with financial strain and uncertainty. But thanks to the kindness and support from The Greenaway Foundation, many of our children and their families have been able to enjoy enjoy a warm, festive Christmas dinner together, with presents for the children to open. This is more than just a meal; it is a moment of joy, dignity, and togetherness – something every family deserves.
For some of our families, voicing the financials pressures the Christmas period creates is overwhelming and their sense of needing to silently overcome these challenges without the risk of judgement is strong. Calling families myself to offer Greenaway support gives me the opportunity to maintain a sense of confidentiality, to check in and to listen. These conversations have allowed me to open the door to extreme need were we would not have known otherwise.
This December (2024), I called a grandmother, caring for her grandson with very complex autism. She burst into tears and asked how I knew to call, at that moment. She told me she was walking around the supermarket in tears because she didn’t know how she was going to put Christmas dinner on the table as well as affording a gift for her grandson. The Greenaway Foundation, changed that and I was immediately able to take that fear and anxiety away.
One of our new Mums told me she and her husband are living in a 1 bedroom flat with 2 very autistic youngsters and all 4 are having to sleep in the dining room. They hadn’t been able to find the courage to tell anyone. As well as accepting help from The Greenaway Foundation, as a school we have now been able to provide further support from other community services.
Your support of The Greenaway Foundation goes beyond food; it brings hope and a sense of belonging to our special needs community. It reminds us all that no one is alone, and that there are people, like you, who truly care.
It is an absolute honour to stand before you today and express our deepest gratitude for the incredible support from The Greenaway Foundation and you, their sponsors. Your generosity has made a profound impact on our school community, particularly for our disadvantaged families during the holiday season.
On behalf of our students at Manor Green Primary School, their families, and our entire school, thank you for making a real difference. Your generosity has not only filled plates but also hearts, and for that, we are forever grateful.’
This year, The Greenaway Foundation aims to raise £250,000 so it can make Christmas deliveries to 2,000 families and make at least 4,000 wishes come true for children in the southeast of England. If you would like to see how you can get involved, please visit our website or contact us directly. Your support makes a difference! www.greenawayfoundation.org
If you would like to make a donation to help The Greenaway Foundation efforts in the local community, please click below.
