Newspaper’s charity marks 95th birthday with demand at all-time high
A newspaper charity is celebrating its 95th birthday — with demands for its support greater than ever, according to organisers.
The Newcastle Chronicle Sunshine Fund held its annual Sunflower Ball in the city recently.
The Fund is the North East’s largest provider of equipment to support children with a wide range of conditions and complex needs, including physical and learning difficulties, life-limiting conditions and terminal diagnoses. The demands on the charity have increased hugely in recent years, and fundraising is difficult in the current economic climate.
The charity receives no Government funding and relies solely on the generosity of supporters across the North East — and it needs support more than ever as to keep helping those in need.
Chair of Trustees and editorial director for the Chronicle and Journal, Helen Dalby, said: “Our Sunflower Ball was a celebration of our charity’s 95 years, and an opportunity to share a special occasion with our supporters and some of our Sunshine families — but most of all, more importantly than anything else, it was an unmissable chance to raise vital funds to make sure we can meet the demand we’re seeing for equipment and continue to support local families.
“The cost of living crisis and ongoing pressure on the NHS mean that demand for equipment for children with disabilities is higher than ever. It costs on average three times more to raise a disabled child than a child without disabilities.
“The North East has some of the highest numbers of children registered as disabled in the UK, and is sadly also facing steeply rising rates of child poverty. The equipment we fund is not available through statutory services like local authorities or the NHS, but is essential to the daily lives of our Sunshine children and their families and carers.
“The equipment enriches quality of life for not only the children, but their families and the communities where they live, learn and play. It’s absolutely the case that the equipment we fund changes lives for the better.”
Helen also paid tribute to charity director Siobhan Sargeant at the event. Siobhan has led the charity for the past six years, leading it through the challenges brought by the pandemic and cost of living crisis, and has done so with tireless passion and commitment.
Siobhan will be leaving the Sunshine Fund to take up a new challenge at the end of March, and the charity is currently advertising for a new Head of Charity leader. More information is online here, or you can email helen.dalby@reachplc.com.
