A Warrington charity hopes to buy a new holiday home in North Wales to provide the means for accessible and affordable getaways for disabled people.
Warrington Disability Partnership (WDP) has revealed it hopes to secure enough from fundraisers in 2024 to buy a static caravan which would be fully accessible with a range of special features.
More than 2,500 holiday makers have been able to enjoy a total of over 800 stays at a caravan in Pensarn, bought by WDP back in 2007.
But the current caravan is in dire need of replacement to ensure guests can continue to enjoy a comfortable stay and benefit from the latest technology designed specifically to support disabled people or those living with long-term health conditions.
The charity needs to raise around £68,000 to buy the holiday home outright, and will host a glittering ‘March Hare Ball’ on March 1, 2024 in partnership with the law firm Aaron & Partners to help kickstart its fundraising activity.
Bold ambitions
Dave Thompson MBE, chief executive of Warrington Disability Partnership, said: “We’ve set ourselves some bold ambitions for 2024 as a charity and one of those is acquiring a brand-new accessible holiday home that we know will bring happiness to so many people across our region.
“Going on holiday is something a lot of people take for granted, but for some disabled people, it’s often something that they avoid entirely because of issues around accessibility and affordability.
“Our current caravan has been a holiday lifeline for thousands of people, but it is time for us to take the experience to the next level with a new static home that has state-of-the-art facilities.
“We rely heavily on the support of our partners and the community to do all of the amazing things we’ve been doing since 1991, so we’re really hoping we can rally enough support to make this happen.
“Our charity ball with Aaron & Partners will be one of the biggest events we’ve ever hosted and we’re hoping people will get behind us and help make 2024 a memorable year where we can continue to make a real difference.”
The ‘March Hare Ball’ will take place on Friday, 1 March 2024 at Stock Farm Barn on the Tatton Estate in Ashley with an ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ theme, which is a nod to Cheshire-born Lewis Carroll.
The event includes a three-course meal catered by Knutsford-based Fork and Field, entertainment, and some unexpected surprises throughout the night.
Adam Haines, employment law and business immigration partner at Aaron & Partners, also sits on the WDP’s Trustee Board. He said: “I’ve been involved with the charity for some time now and it’s very exciting to unveil some of the big ambitions we have for 2024 as a new year gets underway.
“The March Hare Ball promises to be a fantastic event, bringing together people from across the region for a glamorous gala-style evening with brilliant food, entertainment but most importantly of all, a clear purpose.
“We’ve already had lots of interest and some early bookings for tables, so I’d urge people to sign up as soon as possible. We would love to help WDP get as close to that fundraising target as possible as this new holiday home has the potential to have a positive impact on many more disabled people and their families.”
Tables for the event are priced at £990 for up to 12 guests, or £90 per person. For more information or to book a place, email [email protected]
