.org.uk

Rollercoasters currently caters for over forty children from the Dudley Borough who have multiple disabilities, and additional physical and learning disabilities. Some of our children have sensory impairments or medical conditions such as epilepsy, asthma, and chronic respiratory problems, and a small number of our children have degenerative or life threatening conditions.

More importantly, the children at Rollercoasters are children first, and the scheme allows them to be themselves, to enjoy and experience the world around them, to make friends, to play, and most of all, to have fun!

To run Rollercoasters each year we must raise a lot of money and funding. Our transport costs are extremely high because we have to use specially adapted tail-lift buses. Our high level of staff and nursing care along with the cost of activities means that the average cost for the whole scheme reaches £60,000 and sometimes more.

Although we are supported by the Local Authority we have to raise about £35,000 each year from grants and fund-raising activities, such as karaoke and other fundraisers.

This is done by a voluntary committee who give up their time to support Rollercoasters and raise money throughout the year to enable us to continue our three week scheme during the summer.

Every year Rollercoasters employs a high number of qualified and experienced staff members, including registered nurses. We also recruit and train volunteers who work alongside our staff members. The support given by these committed volunteers enables us to achieve the vital one-to-one friendship needed for each individual child.