Aims/priorities: The Happy Days Charity is a national children's charity dedicated to providing holidays, days out, and theatre trips for disadvantaged young people with special needs. The Charity supports families with children aged 3-17 who have learning difficulties, physical or mental disabilities, acute, chronic or life limiting illnesses, been abused or neglected, witnessed domestic violence, been bereaved or act as carers for a parent or a sibling.
Group Day Trips and Visiting Theatre
Applicants may apply for a day trip to a wide variety of destinations, for example, the seaside, a theme park, the theatre, or for a theatre workshop to visit the applicants' premises. Items that can be funded are tickets/passes and transport costs.
Group Activity Holidays
Applicants may apply for a group activity holiday to a wide variety of destinations such as outdoor activity centres, holiday camps and sailing breaks.
Family Day Trips
Eligible trips include zoos, farm parks, theme parks, the seaside or the theatre.
Family Holiday Breaks
Applicants may apply for a short break family holiday by the seaside or in the countryside, usually in the United Kingdom. Other destinations will be considered according to cost.
Funding is not available for accompanying adults who are not key carers.
Who can apply? The below can apply:
- For Day Trips, Visiting Theatre and Group Activity Holidays: The applicant must represent a group of young people aged 3-17 with additional needs. This includes representatives of a special needs school or special needs group, young carers and women's refuges. Only key carers will be funded and additional adults must be self-funded. A group leader and deputy group leader must be nominated.
- For Family Holiday Breaks and Family Day Trips: The child or children in need of the holiday (ie a two to four night break within the UK) should be between 3 and 17 years old, have special educational needs or have been abused or have a life-limiting condition. Families must also have a household income of £28,000 or under, this includes all benefits received but not PIP/DLA, Child Benefit or carers allowance.
- The Charity will accept an application for a family holiday from parents, guardians, grandparents or siblings. The Charity will also accept applications from GPs, consultants, nurses or social workers.
Grant amount: The minimum or maximum grant levels are not specified.
Application process: Application forms are available to download from the Charity's website.
Deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time.
Contact information: You can contact:
- Donniece Nisbett - Tel 01462 530710, Email donniece@happydayscharity.org
- Ann DaRocha - Tel 01462 530710, Email ann@happydayscharity.org
Website address: happydayscharity.org