Northamptonshire Community Foundation community hero of the week
Thomas's Fund supports babies, children and young people with complex disabilities across Northamptonshire, helping those with life-limiting conditions and additional needs to access specialist music therapy. By providing sessions in the home, the charity enables vulnerable children who are unable to attend school or community activities to benefit from therapeutic support in a familiar and comfortable environment.
A £5,000 grant from the Cecil Pettit Fund, awarded via Northamptonshire Community Foundation, enabled Thomas's Fund to continue delivering weekly music therapy sessions to children and young people with complex disabilities across the county.
The funding supported individual therapy sessions tailored to each child's needs, helping to develop communication, social interaction, confidence and emotional wellbeing. For many families experiencing isolation, the continuity of home-based therapy also provided reassurance and ongoing support, with additional video resources available when children were too unwell to take part in sessions.
Parents and carers reported seeing significant improvements in their children's confidence and engagement. One parent shared that their child became "more vocal and able to take part in adult-directed learning," while another said the sessions were "an amazing way to help with confidence around strangers." By supporting both children and their families, the project has helped reduce isolation and improve quality of life for some of Northamptonshire's most vulnerable young people.
Northamptonshire Community Foundation is the county’s largest independent grant maker, having given more than £25 million in grants since its inception in 2001. This year marks an exciting milestone for NCF – 25 years of inspiring local giving for local needs. Building on this, NCF is also looking 25 years ahead, with bold ambition for a fairer, thriving and more connected county for generations to come. Their latest Impact Report is ready to read here.