Kindness in Action: Charity awareness week has twice as much impact

June ended with a BANG in Warley as SNAP Charity celebrated their Awareness Week and reached their fundraising target of £20,000

The last week of June was SNAP Awareness Week; a time to celebrate the SNAP community. SNAP’s focus this year was on early years support and neurodivergence in preschoolers, helping the public better understand why so many families badly need the charity’s support. Throughout the week the team, along with supporters, volunteers and SNAP families, spread the word of the charity’s vital support to families across Essex who have children with any additional need or disability.

SNAP Awareness Week was packed full of so many incredible moments…

• Art auctions – Our Marvellous Me group got creative and auctioned their artworks and artist John Ball auctioned off his ‘Trip Hazard’ painting created during the Brentwood Art Trail.
• In preschool sessions children participated in Shake Your Pom Poms a special awareness week activity.
• Families shared their stories and memories of SNAP on social media.
• Alex Burghart MP – Visted SNAP to show his support of the work we are doing in the local community.
• SNAP Junior Choir sang a special song written by the group in celebration of SNAP’s 30th anniversary.
• SNAP Drama Clubs performed poems about SNAP.
• Try-A-Tri – The week culminated in this community event where we were the chosen charity!

One donation = twice the impact

 

Alongside SNAP Awareness Week, the charity took part in Big Give’s Small Charity Week with Global’s Make Some Noise and NCVO. The initiative was created to champion vital, small charities across the UK with match-funding given on each donation received, doubling the difference made. For SNAP, that meant raising £20,000 for their preschool services in just one week!

SNAP CEO, Karen Boath said, “These funds are going directly towards SNAP’s pre-school services. The early years can be a very challenging time for any parent, especially those who have a child with an additional need or disability. Often these families have little or no help and are unsure how to support their child’s needs. Mainstream provisions just aren’t set up for their child and families are not sure where to turn. This is why providing an inclusive, non-judgemental environment that can adapt to the needs of each child is so important.

Karen added, “As part of Awareness Week, the team created a fantastic resource all about neurodivergence in preschoolers, featuring some initial strategies to tackle common challenges, like sensory needs and eating difficulties. We hope that this resource is not only helpful for parents and carers, but it also helps give the general public a better understanding.”

Fundraising Manager, Sara Clifton added, “We are so so grateful to everyone who donated during this week to “double the difference”. We know it’s such a tough climate out there right now, so we are incredibly thankful to everyone who participated and got behind us! All the funds raised will help provide our preschool activities, trusted information and advice for parents, and a community around the whole family.”

This included a familiar face – Comedian, presenter and new SNAP ambassador, Ellie Taylor, who shared SNAP Awareness Week on her Instagram to her 330k following and visited SNAP to better understand how vital this charity works in the local community.

Ellie came along to “SNAP on a Friday”, a preschool session featuring Music Therapist, Emily Grimes leading the group in song. Ellie took part in “Shake Your Pom Poms”, a brilliantly fun and inclusive way for pre-schoolers to celebrate, move, and make some noise for SNAP.

Ellie shared, “SNAP is such a wonderful charity local to where I grew up. Firstly, I’ve got friends who have used their services, and they have been absolutely invaluable. And from another personal note, when Johannes and I were training for Strictly, we would train in the hall right next to their offices and they were the loveliest cheerleaders for us. They’re an incredible, very small, charity which is vitally important to Essex families.”

Karen added, “Awareness Week has been a highlight of 2025. It was a true team effort, and I am so grateful to and proud of the SNAP community. Thank you again to everyone who helped make this week so amazing; whether you shared your SNAP story, raised funds, gave up your time or took part in something silly. Every single effort is appreciated, and SNAP wouldn’t be the same without you.”