Disability Challengers wins Prime Ministers Big Society Award

Challengers is delighted to be the winners of a Big Society Award for recognition of all the tireless support and dedication of the volunteers, donors and organisations who have helped us reach where we are today, that is, being the only charity in the UK who supports 1,200 disabled children through 25,000 play and leisure sessions through 40 projects.

We see the award as recognition for the work of a relatively small number of amazing people and organisations. People who give their precious time and precious money so we can remain independent and continue to strive for more.

We can talk endlessly about what the big society is about, how it would work and who would do what, how we get there and how long would it take...

But in doing this we should look at the small groups of altruistic people who really do make a difference. We find that these are often very busy people; many do not even have disabled children but understand the challenges families face and want to do whatever they can to help – even if this means sacrificing a weekend or an evening, or many.

Just last week Adrian Abbott, Trustee and Challengers supporter since the very beginning, told of a time many years ago when Challengers nearly went bust but they formed a group of just 10 people who did everything possible to keep the charity alive. Without this small group of people Challengers would not exist today.

The problem we find is that the people who support us in this way are part of a small exclusive group, they are in the vast minority. If everyone in the UK could take inspiration from these altruists then organisations like Challengers would thrive even more. But also, if everyone in the UK was like this than families with disabled children wouldn’t face such isolation and exclusion from society. Such deep understanding would mean that Challengers would have no need to exist. Now there’s a thought.

So who is this award really for...

The award is for Helen Foley and Colin Hassell who set up Challengers in 1979 who persuaded the council to lend some land and then gathered a large group of people to create Challengers Guildford through blood, sweat and tears in 1984.

The award is for the Brewers Company and family who donated £1 million to make Challengers Farnham possible, for no reason other than they wanted to make a difference.

The award is for the insightful anonymous donor who is funding thousands each month for the University of Surrey to look at the Challengers model so we can encourage others to set up similar projects.

This is to name just a few. The award is actually for every single volunteer, donor and organisation that has selflessly helped Challengers and others get where they are today. Just think, if everyone was like this then maybe the ‘Big Society’ would stand a chance.