A BOROUGH organisation for disabled children and young people is proud to be the first charity hosted by Wokingham MP Clive Jones at the House of Commons.
At a reception in the Churchill Room Wokingham charity Building For The Future (BFTF) thanked long term supporters and welcomed new charity friends.
More than 80 guests from Wokingham and Reading businesses, schools and organisations attended the event, along with dignitaries Alexander Barfield, High Sheriff of the Royal County of Berkshire, and Deputy Mayor of Wokingham Borough Council, Cllr Carol Jewell.
Clive Jones MP officially acknowledged BTFT’s success and thanked them for helping to make Wokingham a better place.
He said: “BFTF is a fantastic charity doing incredible work welcoming hundreds of families, and helping young people with disabilities, supporting them to find jobs, friends, purpose and hope for the future.
“I’ve been told by the families who use their services that they are an absolute lifeline and without them there would be nowhere else to go.”
Guests at the London event were able to enjoy refreshments and canapes, and entertainment from self-taught visually impaired pianist and performer Lily.
CEO Jane Holmes and fundraising manager Jason McMahon then outlined the group’s expansion plans.
Building For The Future needs a new centre for disabled children and young people in the borough.
After many years of searching, the charity they has potentially found a new home, is in early discussions, and hopes to be in new premises this year.
The new home will be inclusive and more accessible but also more expensive to operate.
CEO Jane Holmes said: “Having the support of our local MP is crucial and we feel very fortunate to have such a compassionate political representative here in Wokingham.
“It’s great to know that he genuinely does care and is keen to support our children and young people.
“We now support more than 500 borough families, but our centre is old and tired, and we are having to turn away families and groups working with disabled children which breaks our hearts.
“Unfortunately, local provision for disabled children, and particularly for young school leavers, is worse than ever, with little in the way of accessible and meaningful activity.
“As parents of disabled children ourselves, we know only too well what is needed and are very ambitious when it comes to providing it.
“Our vision for the charity is to continue to grow but we do need help and support.”
Anyone wishing to support Building For The Future can email: jason@bftf.org.uk
For more information, visit: bftf.org.uk
