The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT) is a registered charity

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 No 1003675 based in Cheshire

Cheshire

Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It provides opportunities for approximately 3,000 disabled, terminally ill and disadvantaged children each year.

CAFT was formed in 1985 by Tim Grundy

Tim Grundy

Timothy "Tim" Grundy was an English television and radio presenter. He was born in Manchester.-Biography:...

 and a group of like-minded local businessmen. Tim had a vision of a centre which would provide holidays for children living in Children’s Homes, confident that these breaks were essential to provide these children with fun, friendship and hope. Fundraising began, and four years later, in 1989, Booth Bank Farm in Millington was purchased. In 1992 this 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) site opened its doors to children from all over the North West, and has been offering holidays and daytrips ever since.

Each year the Adventure Farm helps 3,000 children aged 4 to 16, coming from all over the North West

North West England

North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...

, with people coming from Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cumbria, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, North Wales

North Wales

North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...

 and Derbyshire.

Approximately 60% of these children have physical disabilities, including many with sensory impairments, mobility problems and brain injuries. 40% of CAFT’s users have learning disabilities or behavioural problems, such as Autism

Autism

Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...

, Downs Syndrome

Down syndrome

Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...

 or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age.ADHD is the most commonly studied and...

 (ADHD), it is often the case that the children staying will have both physical and learning disabilities. They regularly see children with physical injuries; others have chronic, life-limiting and terminal illnesses. In the region of 40% of the children come from economically deprived areas.

CAFT also welcomes children as young as 5 who act as carers within the home, taking care of parents with chronic illnesses, mental health problems or addiction. Many children visiting are currently residing outside of the traditional family home, either in foster care

Foster care

Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....

, children’s homes or with their mothers in Refuges. Many will also be receiving support and counselling for the terrible emotional and physical scars caused by abuse, others have been witnesses of a crime either in their home, at school or on the streets.

The Adventure Farm believes that these holidays are vital: “We believe that all children, regardless of age, ability or social circumstance, have the right to play in a safe environment. For many children, this is not possible in their daily environment. A holiday at The Adventure Farm gives them a fantastic opportunity to escape the traumas of their everyday life and simply become children again. Here at CAFT we give these children the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives, recognise their potential and achieve their goals. We show the children and young people that there is a world outside of the world they live in, giving them something to aim for, giving them hope.

As well as group holidays, CAFT can also offer families with disabled children short breaks in the Respite Care Facility. Caring for a child with a physical disability, chronic illness or terminal illness can be a huge responsibility, not only physically and mentally but also financially. Many of these families are on a low income or benefits as they are forced to give up work to look after their sick or disabled child, and as such rarely, if ever, get the chance to enjoy a family holiday together.”

Each year, CAFT must raise £750,000 in order that they can continue to fulfil their promise to these children. The Adventure Farm is funded entirely by voluntary contributions, it does not receive any statutory funding.