1st November 2023 Big Give 2023 - Lola's Story

Young people like Lola.

Lola is 14 and has cerebral palsy, scoliosis and a developmental delay. She also has Autism and is deaf, so she relies heavily on visual cues to communicate. She loves swimming and being out in the gardens or in the sensory room at Rose Road.

Lola’s Mum explains “Lola absolutely adores Rose Road. It’s her favourite place to go, she even prefers it to being at home! Lola gets very excited when she knows she’s going and becomes very vocal. It’s lovely to see how much she clearly feels happy, safe and comfortable there.”

“They really take the time to get to know her and give her opportunities to do things she’d never do with us. They’ve taken her to Longdown Farm to see the chicks and she even had an accessible archery and ziplining experience at the QE2 Activity Centre!”

Toni Ramsden, who supports Lola during her stays at Rose Road, says: “Lola is excellent now in communicating her needs. She struggled when she first started and would often go hungry even though her favourite foods were being offered. Skip to the other morning where she grabbed the bacon from the fridge, gave it to her support worker and pointed at the hob. She wanted a bacon sandwich ? which she quickly demolished along with countless other things!

We took the time to build a bond of trust with her and she’s come on leaps and bounds. She takes her medications willingly, she’s celebrated her birthday here, she loves our paddling pools (she’ll even jump in fully clothed!) and she loves going out anywhere so long as it doesn’t involve a queue!”

The impact for Lola’s family has been positive too.

“Rose Road’s support has massively changed our lives and the relationship between me and my husband, as it took away all the stress".

"Lola gets 24 nights a year in Respite and Rose Road are so flexible. We can either spread it out and have two nights a month, or save them up to take a holiday with our two other children. They give us something to look forward to. We now have friends and go out, or we go away for the weekend. Things still have to be well planned but we’re so much less isolated!”

“It’s nice knowing Lola can go somewhere where she’s with peers like herself, and I fully trust Rose Road to care for her".

The best part is I know she loves going there just as much as where I’m going, because she’s always having fun and doing things she simply wouldn’t do with just us”.

“I can not find enough good words to say, it’s been a game changer.”

Please donate to our Big Give project to support more young people like Lola and her family.

For many disabled children & young people the barriers to accessing nature and getting outside are high. Transport is inflexible and expensive, families can be exhausted and overwhelmed, the risks can feel high for those with complex medical needs and finding information on accessibility of venues can be really challenging.

Your donation will create opportunities for more new and unique experiences, helping young people belong, develop friendships, learn new skills and feel pride in their achievements. Your donation will also impact the whole family, enabling them to thrive and reduce stress and isolation knowing their young person is safe and happy at Rose Road.

Remember, all donations made to the Big Give this week will be match and doubled, making your gift go twice as far! Donate today at www.roseroad.org.uk/biggive.