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Sense is a charity that supports children and adults who are deafblind, and those with complex disabilities, to help them learn and develop 鈥� to be able to achieve their potential.

Sense Family Centres deliver specialist support for children, while providing a welcoming environment where families can come together, share experiences and forge friendships.

Sense staff focus on what the young person can do. They help parents to discover ways of engaging with their child, ways to play and experience new activities, together as a family.聽Through specialist play they will also support the child to use even the smallest area of sight and hearing that they may have, as well as their other senses, to interact with their surroundings and develop their independence.

It can take months of work for those precious breakthroughs to come, but when a child shows their happiness or excitement for the first time, when they respond to their parent with a first sign or word 鈥� it鈥檚 a precious moment of joy, with many more to follow.

Sense support for families extends beyond its centres, with an array of other programmes, including supported holidays for children to try something new, have fun and meet other young people, while giving a much-needed break to families.

Sense also organise breaks for the siblings of children with a disability, who often feel the strain of everyday family life revolving around their brother or sister. These opportunities to meet other siblings, to build friendships and share their experiences are invaluable.

I鈥檓 honoured to be backing this appeal for Sense 鈥� a charity that supports children and adults with complex disabilities.

As a parent, I can only imagine how devastating it would be to receive the news that my child had limited sight and hearing and other disabilities. How alone I鈥檇 feel as I tried to come to terms with the fact that their future would be different to the way I鈥檇 imagined it.

Sense ensures families aren鈥檛 alone.

Staff at their Family Centres deliver specialist support for children and young people to help them learn and develop in a welcoming environment where families can come together, share experiences and forge friendships.

For many families, it鈥檚 a lifeline.

I鈥檝e seen the difference Sense make to people鈥檚 lives. By making a donation today, you can ensure Sense are there for more families and children when they need it most.

Logan first visited the Sense Family Centre in Bristol when he was just three months old, and it has been a huge part of the family鈥檚 life ever since.

Logan has cerebral palsy and brain damage, as well as limited vision and hearing. He needs specialist support to access and enjoy even simple activities. But in the safe and supported environment of the Sense centre, he thrives.

Through specialist play, Logan is supported to use the limited sight and hearing that he has, as well as his other senses, such as touch, to interact with the world around him and grow in independence.

The centre also offers emotional and practical support to parents often overwhelmed by the challenges they face caring for someone with complex disabilities.

Logan鈥檚 mum, Philippa, says: 鈥淐aring for a child with complex disabilities presents new challenges every day. Without the Sense centre, I would be lost.鈥�

The Sense Family Centre has been a fixture in Ernie & Ted鈥檚 life since the boys were babies.聽

It was at the centre that Ernie, who has Down鈥檚 syndrome and poor vision and hearing, was supported to learn sign language.

Ted, who is Ernie鈥檚 twin, doesn鈥檛 have a disability, but he also benefits from support from Sense.

Sense know that being the young sibling of a child with complex disabilities can be difficult, as everyday family life will revolve around their brother or sister. 聽

That鈥檚 why, in addition to offering holidays for people with disabilities, Sense organise breaks for young siblings of children with a disability.

On the break Ted participated in lots of fun activities, met other siblings, built friendships and enjoyed time dedicated to him.

His mother, Helen, says 鈥淭ed had an amazing time! He came back beaming and full of confidence.鈥�

Andy and Nicola were devastated when Mia and Charlie were diagnosed with a rare condition that meant their children were born blind, unlikely to ever walk or speak.

鈥淭hey are the most beautiful children鈥� Andy says, 鈥渂ut discovering they had such a testing future forced us to grieve for the life we hoped they鈥檇 have.鈥�

Things started to change when the family began attending the Sense Family Centre in Peterborough. Nicky, who runs the service, helped the parents to discover ways of engaging with their children, ways to play and experience new activities, together as a family. For the first time they had discovered a place that focused on what the children could do, and they felt hopeful for the future.

The family now regularly visit the centre where they benefit from services such as a hydrotherapy pool, as well as meeting with other families, sharing experiences and forging friendships.