Dream The Change Successes in the last six months

We want to thank everyone who has supported or sponsored Dream The Change CIC, volunteered or attended our events throughout the year.

During the last six months (see our blog on our first six months), our training, activities and excursions have been well supported by families and carers who have children with special needs (SEND).

Several families connected with Dream The Change, CIC enjoyed an excursion to East Anglian Railway Museum for a Day out with Thomas in December, just before we celebrated our 4thAnniversary.

Rides on the steam engines, including Thomas, Percy and Daisy, proved to be very popular with everyone and families and carers and their children also enjoyed rides on the miniature railway and seeing the model railway display.

The highlight of the trip for most of the youngsters was a visit to Santa’s Grotto where each child was presented with an individual gift by Santa.

The other activities that families enjoyed included: meeting Toby & Henrietta, singalongs and performances from Rusty & Dusty and Sir Topham Hatt, storytelling sessions, play pod activities, a scavenger hunt, games and balloon modelling.

A fun time was had by all.

During the second half of 2023, we organised a variety of other activities and excursions to help families and carers of children with special needs.

These events help children to learn to socialise, improve their mobility and increase their self-esteem and the parents get chance to share their experiences, make friends with like-minded people and support each other.

Fireworks at Castle Park

Jump Street, Colchester

Colchester Wheels for All

A stand at the Community Day on the King George V Playing Field Wivenhoe

A Picnic and Play Day at Old Heath Recreation Ground, Old Heath Road, Colchester, CO1 2ER

Strawberry picking at McLauchlans of Boxted.

At the end of July our trip to Maldon Water Park had to be changed due to the bad weather. Instead Dream The Change organised an event at Jump Street, Colchester. 

To encourage our children’s creativity and imagination we invited them to design a card competition and an art class to help children create their entries. Prizes were presented in December.

Dream the Change CIC felt proud when our Co-founder Jemal Allabayeva received the Colchester Legend Award at the Lawrence Walker Awards and Cancer Awareness Event at Firstsite, Colchester in October. She also visited the Houses of Parliament with the SSE Trade Up Programme members.

Throughout the year families have enjoyed our Sport session (with Occupational therapists from Sport for confidence) at Acorn Hall/St Anne's Community Centre, 252 Harwich Road, Colchester CO4 3DH, from 5-6:30 pm. Their favourite gamesare usually dodge ball, basketball and parachute.

At each session, the children who have attended regularly and work hard receive a certificate and December was no exception. Well done to everyone who regularly attends and keep up the good work when our Sports Sessions restart in January 2024.

Parents have also chance to support each other at our Parent Tea times which were held in person or online. We enjoyed visits to other organisations too.

We would like to thank all our team members for their commitment and all organisations working with us for their continuous collaboration to make these activities possible for our community. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and check our Facebook page for our upcoming events in 2024.