A LOCAL community organisation is in the running to win £50,000 of National Lottery funding – but they need your help to win!
Move the Mind, which is based in Babington, has been selected by the Big Lottery Fund and ITV to go head to head in The People’s Projects with four other groups in the ‘West Country East’. The projects will compete in a public vote to win money raised by National Lottery players. Three of the five projects will be awarded funding after the vote closes.
Using therapeutic horse-riding and other therapeutic experiences with animals on its farmland, Move the Mind helps children with autism and other neurocognitive conditions to heal sensory dysfunctions and to gain direct communication.
Director of Move the Mind, Nicole Gillard says, “The approach used is to follow the child’s interests, tailored to their individual needs using the animals in a therapeutic way to help gain self esteem, confidence and develop the ability to express themselves.
“Move the Mind has grown massively since October 2017 – we are now helping over 50 children and families, including some from Frome. We also work with six schools in the local area, including North Hill House School in Frome.”
The not-for-profit community organisation hopes to use the funds to build an outdoor animal exercise arena to create an enclosed space for activities and therapies. This will allow the therapy to take place in an area without distraction and allow children to quietly explore and play as part of the sessions.
“To get the funding would be incredible,” said Nicole. “We already work with some local schools, but would love so much to be able to help more. We have so many families on waiting lists but having the funding would enable us to support more families.
“We would use some of the funding for a safe enclosed animal exercise area, where children can ride and interact with the animals. The rest of the funding would be used to make pathways to make it more accessible for children in wheelchairs that visit the farm.”
To vote visit: www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk/projects/view/move-the-mind voting closes at midday on Monday 15th April.
