LOCAL CHARITY CHALLENGERS CELEBRATE ORANGE AID

The festival was packed with activities: rides on the Guildford Model Engineering Society‘s trains, exploring police and fire vehicles, live music from Ben Dlugokecki and Head of Service Paul Wilson, and stalls filled with treats and treasures. The brilliant Peter Gordon was the perfect host, keeping everyone entertained throughout the day.

So many pulled together to help make Challengers Orange Aid possible: from Rapid Relief Team UK for providing free meals and volunteering, to The Eaves Counselling and Psychology and ramsac for their generous sponsorship. In addition to the local police and fire crews for bringing along their vehicles for the children to explore.

Orange Aid is about more than just a fun day – it’s about creating a safe, welcoming space where disabled children and their families can relax and make happy memories together. Seeing so many smiles reminded us exactly why this festival matters.

who are challengers?

Challengers was established in 1979 (known as The Adventurers Association) to address the lack of play for disabled children. Through play, children learn to build confidence, self-esteem, creativity, and how to interact with others. And aside from being fun, play is essential for a child’s cognitive, physical, social, and mental wellbeing and development. Sadly, too many disabled young people miss out on play every day. There are many barriers stopping disabled children from playing – from physical impairments and a lack of accessible play facilities, to time, money and support.

That’s where Challengers comes in. We remove these barriers by providing truly inclusive play and leisure that everyone can enjoy and join in with, no matter how complex their needs are.

Young people can come to our Pre-school, Play and Youth schemes and 555 Service and experience the same fun and friendship as their non-disabled peers, with activities adapted to suit their unique individual needs. We are passionate champions of inclusion and 46 years on our vision has not faltered and we continue to strive for ‘a world where all children and young people can play together freely.’

The impact of Challengers’ work is evidenced by service user Michelle and her mum Martha. Michelle is a young disabled person with complex needs and challenging behaviour, who faced significant meltdowns before finding support through Challengers’ 555 Service – an alternative provision which offers urgent support to disabled young people aged 8–19 who are out of education, providing a structured and supportive environment to build confidence and prepare for a successful return to school.

Martha shared: “Before Challengers, Michelle was having meltdowns that lasted hours, hurting herself, and it was extremely difficult. A few hours felt like a whole day. And days were never-ending.” However, after attending Challengers, the transformation was evident. “When Michelle comes back from Challengers, she’s happier, calmer, and more settled. She comes in and gives me hugs and kisses, and I’ve grown closer with her as a result.” Being able to attend Challengers meant that Martha could continue working and care for her other children, and with the support of Challengers staff who have guided school staff in how best to support Michelle’s needs, she is now successfully attending school. Learn more about Michelle and Martha’s story here: Michelle’s story.

For more information about Challengers and how you can donate to help transform the lives of disabled children, young people and their families through the power of play visit www.disability-challengers.org

Discover more events and experiences in south west london, Surrey hills & south downs