Adur charity expands operation after record-breaking week

Almost £7,000 was donated to Adur Special Needs Project in just seven days, thanks to incredible support from the community.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Trustees said it was an incredible week for a small local charity and it meant they were able to extend the number of places being offered to children in the district.

Heidi Rush, ASNP trustee, said: “We are now looking for five new play assistants to join the team. If anyone locally would like to join the ASNP team as a play assistant or volunteer, please get in touch.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The charity, known as ASNP, has been supporting families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities for almost 30 years and is now based in Brighton Road, Lancing.

Staff from Fizz Creations, winners at the annual quiz nightStaff from Fizz Creations, winners at the annual quiz night
Staff from Fizz Creations, winners at the annual quiz night

The play schemes operate from Herons Dale Primary School in Shoreham, on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, during school term times, for children aged five to 15.

Charlie Chesman, trustee, said: “Adur Special Needs Project has received more than £6,768 from three recent events. This is incredible for the small charity.”

Shoreham Conservative Club chose ASNP as its charity of the year for 2019 and members hosted various events to raise money, including a summer fayre, charity walk, race night and games afternoons. A cheque for £4,334 was presented on February 20.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Valerie Trevor, ASNP chairman, said: “The money that the club have raised on our behalf is absolutely staggering and we cannot thank the chairman Alan Jackson and vice-chairman Bruce Mitchell enough.

Shoreham Conservative Club members with Adur Special Needs Project trustee Heidi RushShoreham Conservative Club members with Adur Special Needs Project trustee Heidi Rush
Shoreham Conservative Club members with Adur Special Needs Project trustee Heidi Rush

“A special thanks must go out to Andy Hughes and Chris Rose for all of the work they put into organising the events and the members for making us feel so welcome at their events.”

Champion House, a private club in Southwick, collected £245 for a local charity and chose ASNP as the beneficiary.

Jon Rush, ASNP treasurer, invited Danny Cagney, club secretary, and his team to Herons Dale Primary School to see the play scheme in action.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Heidi said: “Danny and his team are amazing. The money donated by Champion House will go back into providing more places for our local children with special educational needs and disabilities.”

Champion House members present a £245 donation to children, staff and trustees of Adur Special Needs ProjectChampion House members present a £245 donation to children, staff and trustees of Adur Special Needs Project
Champion House members present a £245 donation to children, staff and trustees of Adur Special Needs Project

To end the week, the annual ASNP quiz night was held at Sussex County FA in Lancing on February 27 and proved a record-breaking success.

Hosted by Chris Orr, managing director of The Brighton Wine Company, the quiz is one of only two major fundraising events the charity puts on each year.

Among the teams taking part were staff from a number of local businesses, including Fizz Creations, Pembroke Financial Services and Silver Star Cleaning.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Heidi said: “The event raised a total of £2,188, thanks to Chris and his amazing knack of extracting donations and running the auction.

“It was a fun event and raised more money than we have ever raised from a quiz night previously. This all goes back into the charity’s operations.

“A big thanks to Lawrence Boon of Fizz Creations for donating so many prizes for the raffle and also to Chris for donating some fantastic cases of wine.”

Visit www.adurspecialneedsproject.org.uk for more information, telephone 07788 239634 or email [email protected] to contact the charity.