Mulberry Homes has funded a theatre performance for a local special educational needs school in Stevenage, following its £1000 donation to Happy Days Children’s Charity.
The school, which supports children aged 11 to 16-years-old with learning difficulties, enjoyed a special performance of The Wizard of Oz.
In keeping with Government restrictions and social distancing guidelines, Happy Days prepared an alternative version of the performance which involved fewer actors and employed extra screens and sound, limiting the number of visitors going into the school.
Mulberry Homes made the donation of £1000 earlier this year as part of its 10-year anniversary campaign, in which it has committed to donating a total of £10,000 to charities and organisations nearby to its developments throughout 2021.
Craig, a teacher at the school, said: “It was wonderful for our pupils to experience a theatre show, particularly during this very challenging time. The pupils had so much fun and it was a huge benefit to be able to have this experience in the safety of their own school. We’ve also embarked on some great follow up work and discussions since the day, which has been so helpful with their learning. Thanks so much to Happy Days Children’s Charity for our special day!”
The pupils drew the performance
Based in Hitchin, Happy Days works in local communities right across the UK to provide vital breaks, holidays and residential trips for children aged three to 17-years-old with additional needs, including learning difficulties, physical or mental disabilities and life limiting illnesses, and children who have been abused, bereaved or act as carers.
Rob Cox, Fundraising and Marketing Manager at Happy Days, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Mulberry Homes for their support, especially at this difficult time when families caring for children with additional needs have faced even greater pressures.
“At Happy Days we've adapted, been creative and remained a vital lifeline for brave kids right across the UK, giving them a chance to get out, have fun, develop new skills and build confidence at a time when the world got a little more scary. We simply couldn’t have done this without the support of individuals and organisations like Mulberry Homes, so thank you so much for your help. What a difference a day makes!”
Kerry Jones, Sales and Marketing Director at Mulberry Homes, said: “We couldn’t be happier to hear that our donation funded a fantastic performance of The Wizard of Oz.
“The ongoing pandemic has been exceptionally challenging for schools and charities like Happy Days, with the national lockdowns and Government guidelines hugely affecting the ways they operate. These school pupils will have experienced many changes in their lifestyles since last year, and we’re delighted that they thoroughly enjoyed their special theatre performance. It’s been an absolute pleasure to be involved and a wonderful way to celebrate our 10th anniversary!”
Since January, Mulberry Homes has donated to a different local charity each month and many more donations are still to come. For details on the 10-year anniversary campaign, visit https://mulberryhomes.co.uk/news/distinctly-local/.
For more information on Happy Days, visit https://www.happydayscharity.org/.