On the road with Reach!

Coming into post as your new Operations Lead I took to the road to come and meet some of you in
person, to understand Reach and all that you do. Honestly, I am really impressed. Reach is more than a national charity, it’s a family, with real people, young and old(er) all over the country volunteering their time to help families, and make a difference in the lives of children and young people with upper limb difference:

People like June near York, inspired by her amazing granddaughter Lexie, to fundraise for Reach at the village fete this summer and Tracey, Branch Coordinator for the West Midlands, her husband Jason and the whole family helping to run a fantastic branch meeting at their local community hall with families coming from all over the Midlands to join in soft play, ball games, lunch, scrummy cakes and a science workshop.

Tracey & Jason are already busy planning a Reach Sports Day for the Summer – Midland members – WATCH THIS SPACE!

I’ve been to see the hotel in Gateshead where the Annual Family Weekend is going to be held in the autumn and it’s lush! I’ve driven past Thirsk where this year’s RAW is running. I’ve drunk a lot of coffee in a lot of coffee shops with Branch Coordinators: Joanne (Berkshire), Sue (Northern), Melissa (South Wales) and had online meetings with Branch Coordinators from all over the country who have given me their time to help me learn what’s going well and what me, Ashley and the Reach Trustees can do to help make it even better! THANK YOU – to use a north London colloquialism “You is amazing!”

Please may I end with a quote given to me by someone recounting her sons’ first trip to RAW. Like most of us would be, this mum was feeling a bit worried as her son got on the bus. But he turned to her and said:

‘Don’t worry mum – I’m with my people’.
https://reach.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/WR-Spring-2023-online.pdf