HLF wins National Lottery grant to help SEND children

The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded a grant to Huddersfield Literature Festival to deliver a special project as part of its spring 2022 Festival. My Family Creates will comprise free online creative activities specially designed for SEND (special educational needs or disability) families, with particular focus on those of South Asian, African and Caribbean heritage.

The videos and downloadable activity packs will feature creative writing, dance, creative and physical movement, sensory drama and wellbeing activities – delivered by industry experts, Salma Zaman and Nisha Lall.
The activity packs will be available to download from the Festival website and the videos will be hosted on the HLF YouTube channel, and then made available to SEND schools, organisations and networks.

My Family Creates aims to improve confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing, and to reduce isolation for participants, while encouraging families to try new creative activities in the familiar setting of their own homes and to bond over shared experiences. The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes, will help to fill a gap in provision for SEND families, many of whom have been shielding or limiting outside contact due to Covid-19.

The grant follows the success of a pilot of the project, funded by the Festival and launched at Sangam Festival during the summer of 2021. This can still be accessed through the HLF website.

My Family Creates has the support of a range of local partners, including Castle Hill school, Caudwell Children, PCAN Kirklees, Shabang and Darren Tordoff, Inclusions Officer at Kirklees Council.

Festival Director Michelle Hodgson says: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Our Festival is committed to supporting access for all and My Family Creates is an excellent fit for our community strand.”

Project leader Nisha Lall says: “This is a much-needed project for families that can be accessed directly in their homes. We are looking forward to creating more activities that will help families to feel more connected, confident and creative, and less excluded.”

Project leader Salma Zaman says: “My Family Creates will allow us to put in place carefully targeted SEND resources for families, carers, children and young adults with additional needs and disabilities. This project will enable us to capture valuable snippets of targeted learning and development and help build confidence and raise self-esteem among the participants, as well as their families and carers.”