Fundraising Projects

Supporting QAC is supporting young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities.  Whilst EHCP and Direct payments provide basic education, healthcare and supporter care, fundraising provides the rest.  This can include building refurbishments, new and innovative equipment whether it's for the classroom to support accessibility or in a sensory room.  It also funds social activities for our residential clients and students and projects such as gardenting intiatives.  It supports additional staffing and rental of our community services.  Everything funded by the charity supports the best experience possible for those young adults with disabilities we work with.

Current Examples include:

£10 buys a book for use in the learning resources centre.

£30 buys arts and crafts materials for use either in the classroom or within a creative therapy session.

£350 funds an iPad for use in the classroom.  Some students find the iPad easier to use over a desktop computer.  Students can access educational programmes on them as well as use them for research. In total we need to update iPads across 30 different teaching areas. 

£5k would fund covered seating for two of our educational areas enabling students the opportunity to work outside and utilise the adjoining garden area which can be used as part of their lessons. 

£15k is required for a kitchen refurbishment for one of our residential units

Previous projects that have been made possible through fundraising include:

  • Onsite Sports Hall - £1.3m project to build an onsite sports hall meaning all students could take part in sport and fitness activities.
  • Onsite café and training kitchen – used by students to host themed café mornings and develop their hospitality/customer service skills. 
  • Outdoor Gym & Traverse Wall - £50k to install a set of inclusive outdoor gym equipment and traverse wall on campus.
  • Curriculum Development – introducing new programmes such as Motor Vehicle Studies and Creative Media, as well as new technology in areas such as IT and changes to work and teaching spaces. 
  • Indoor Climbing Wall – £40k to introduce a bespoke climbing wall to feature in our sports hall with sessions open to all students to get involved.
  • Music Development - more than £20k to provide new equipment, music sessions and  specialist workshops for students
  • Community & Citizenship Initiatives – such as science & space activities, criminal justice, EDI awareness and working on a farm. 
  • Yoga & Wellbeing – to introduce yoga and other wellbeing / mindfulness sessions and equipment for students with high anxiety.
  • Specialist  Equipment – including sensory equipment for high needs students and specialist VI equipment for use in the LRC, independent living sessions, rehab activities and other areas across college.
  • Umberslade Nurseries – various workshops and activities for local community groups to get involved in including people with dementia, families and children at risk of exclusion as well as Umberslade / outdoor curriculum development for students. 
  • Community Services Outreach - supporting students in engaging with each other, and hosted activities, during the Covid restrictions and subsequent coming out of them and returning to normal life.
  • Equipment and Resources - for various clubs, departments and student activities including the library and other areas.