BBC Children in Need supports new holiday activity scheme

Social enterprise BH Live has been awarded a grant of £20,400 by BBC Children in Need to run a series of low cost school holiday activities in Dorset for children with autism.

Starting in the school summer holidays, trampolining, racquet sports, gym, structured play, relaxation sessions, arts and crafts will run at Bournemouth’s Littledown Centre.

The activities, aimed at young people aged between 10-18 years old, will be centred on emotional and physical wellness and relationship building. Coaches will work towards helping each child realise their potential and how they can improve health and wellbeing through physical activity.

Kate Rogers, BH Live’s Health and Wellbeing Manager said;

“With the generous support of BBC Children in Need, and all of their amazing fundraisers, we are making a difference to the lives of young people right here in Dorset.

“Over the next three years, 150 young people will be able to get the support and encouragement they need to be more active and experience the many benefits this brings.”

BH Live will work closely with partner organisations including BCP Council, Access Dorset and Autism Wessex to promote and encourage eligible youngsters onto the programme.

Penny Maund, Senior Teacher at Autism Wessex added,

“This will make a huge difference to families in Dorset who tell us how difficult it can be to find activities that meet their needs during the school holidays.”

BBC Children in Need relies on the generosity and creativity of the thousands of supporters and fundraisers who raise millions of pounds for the charity every year. To date the UK public has raised over £1 billion for children and young people facing disadvantage across the UK.

Daniella Lipscombe, South Regional Support Assistant, BBC Children in Need commented,

“BBC Children in Need is committed to improving the lives of those children and young people who need it most by supporting projects like this which work locally to make real and lasting changes to young lives.”

Find out more about the programme by contacting littledown@bhlive.org.uk

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

Photo-caption:
Pudsey Bear visits Littledown Centre in Bournemouth and gets active with students and staff from Portfield School (Autism Wessex)
Photo credit – Adam Lynk Photography – adamlynk.com

BBC Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential. The charity will realise this vision by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face and work that builds their skills and resilience.

BBC Children in Need is currently supporting over 2,800 projects in communities across the UK that are helping children and young people facing a range of disadvantages such as living in poverty, being disabled or ill, or experiencing distress, neglect or trauma.

BBC Children in Need awards grants at six points during the year and funds two types of grants, both of which are open to new or existing applicants. A Main Grants Programme is for grants over £10,000 per year to support projects for up to three years. Meanwhile, BBC Children in Need’s Small Grants Programme supports projects for up to three years, and includes grants up to and including £10,000 per year. Both of these programmes are currently open to applications.

Further information about BBC Children in Need can be found at bbc.co.uk/Pudsey

About BH Live
BH Live is a leading operator of leisure and event venues and social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives.

With more than five million visits a year we are changing lives and are at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy.

In 2017/18 we had 4.5 million leisure centre attendances, hosted more than 500 events and sold over half a million cultural, sporting and entertainment event tickets. We also welcomed 59,000 conference and exhibition delegates.

This generated an estimated £53 million in local economic benefit.

For more visit bhlive.org.uk.

Get social with us: LinkedIn, Twitter @BHLIVE_UK and Facebook @SocialEnterpriseBHLive

For more information about BH Live please contact:
Elizabeth Symmons, PR & Corporate Communications Executive
E: press.office@bhlive.org.uk
T: (01202) 055562

About Littledown Centre
Littledown is operated by BH Live in partnership with BCP Council.

Set in 47 acres of parkland, Littledown has some of the finest leisure, swimming, football and gym facilities in the country.

It is ranked among the top performing leisure centres in the UK, is accredited by quality scheme QUEST and is a National Fitness Award winner for the Local Authority/Leisure Trust Gym of the Year (2016) and finalist for the Best Group Exercise Gym of the Year (2017).

It has more than 1.2 million attendances a year and is home to clubs including BH Live’s Swimming Academy, Swim Bournemouth, Littledown Juniors Football Club and Play Football.

The venue has one of the largest gyms in the UK with personal training, an exercise referral and children’s activity programme. It runs 300+ weekly group exercise classes.

Indoor facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool, 17-metre teaching pool, waterslides, a splash pool and spa. There is a large sports hall for events and multi-sport activities including trampolining, badminton, table tennis, football and gymnastics.

The venue also has a café, bar and an Ofsted registered crèche.
Outdoor facilities include ALTITUDE High Ropes Adventure at Littledown Park (2017 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence), six floodlit 3G rubber crumb training pitches, grass football pitches, parkland for recreation and events, a cricket pitch and pavilion, lake, children’s playground, a paddling pool (open summer months only), outdoor catering, leisure orienteering course and free customer parking for up to three hours (Monday-Friday).

For more visit bhliveactive.org.uk.

Get social with us: Twitter @bhliveactive and Facebook @littledowncentre