A Sproughton-based children’s charity celebrated its eighth birthday with a £75,000 boost and a visit from a special guest.
The Bumblebee Children’s Charity was visited by South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge, who congratulated the team on receiving the money from the National Lottery Community Fund.
The funding is set to help disabled children and their families across East Anglia over the next five years.
Mr Cartlidge, who has a long relationship with the charity, said: "I was with Bumblebees in 2015 at the beginning, for their first birthday, when they were just starting out on their journey, and I’m delighted to be back here seven years on, to celebrate, not only their eighth birthday, but also the fantastic achievement of gaining five years of National Lottery funding.
"A real achievement, which is especially important given the charity is entirely privately funded."
Bumblebee Children’s Charity is a specialist centre for children who have difficulties with movement and coordination, and offers vital support to them and their families.
The funding will cover the costs of four highly members of staff who work with pre-school children with movement and co-ordination difficulties.
The team provides a holistic form of early education inspired by methods used at the Peto Institute for Conductive Education in Hungary to stimulate and awaken the child’s senses in a fun way.
The staff and trustees said they are "extremely grateful" to the National Lottery Community Fund for their generous donation, however, they will continue to be reliant on other friends, donators and supporters, without whom it would not be possible to be able to provide this much needed service.
Lisa Scott, of Bumblebees, said: "We were really pleased to welcome James to our birthday celebration today.
"He enjoyed meeting some of our children, their families, and a selection of our trustees and staff.
"More importantly, he met Shelagh and Jonathan from the National Lottery Community Fund and gained more of an understanding of how the funding will be spent at Bumblebees.
"This grant means that we will be able to continue to provide outstanding service to our children and their families for years to come."
Published by the Ipswich Star.
