The 18 local Jewish children – aged three to 17 years old – have a range of special needs. For many of them, new experiences and exposure to new situations, places and people are very difficult. During the trip, staff – including each individual carer – gave the children the opportunity and support to encounter potentially daunting situations in a safe and caring environment.

The four-day holiday involved a series of fun activities including a trip to Chester Zoo, snow tubing at The Great Orme, visiting Underwater Street, bowling and crafts. For one child, the holiday gave him his first ever walk along a beach.  For another child, aged 17, the break was only his fourth holiday in his entire life – the other three all being previous trips to Llandudno with The Fed.

During Big Birthday’s cheque presentation at The Fed’s newly opened children’s centre, Mark Adlestone, chairman of The Fed, commented: “My wife Gabrielle and I wanted to travel to Llandudno to see the holiday for ourselves. Having witnessed it firsthand, I know this trip is an incredibly powerful project. The kids, whose needs are so extreme, get to try things that are normally inaccessible to them. For their parents, the break provides three days out of 365 where they can have some time off from one to one care.”

“Without the Big Birthday Appeal, the funding for this hugely important project simply wouldn’t be there.  I would like to thank the entire Big Birthday team for having the dedication to raise the money to make this possible for the fourth year running.”

Grateful mum Amanda Barnes said: “The Project Smile holiday activities were amazing and my son enjoyed every one of them. He also said the cook was fantastic! It was great to spend time with my daughter while my son was away.”

The children not only returned home with huge smiles and wonderful memories but forged lasting friendships with other children on the trip.

Suzy Glaskie, Big Birthday Appeal co-founder, visited the children in Wales with her sons Max, 13, and Louis, 10. She was joined by fellow Big Birthday mum Michelle Deacon and her children – Danny, 11, Tali, 10 and five-year-old Evie – together with their friend  Ella Spieler, aged 10.

Suzy said: “We were just blown away by the incredible devotion that The Fed’s extraordinary team of carers and volunteers extended to each and every child. They were treated like superstars and were clearly thriving on all the attention.

“The Big Birthday team is both proud and humbled to have been a part of such a wonderful project, which continues to have lasting effects on the children’s lives.”

The Big Birthday team is looking to recruit local Mums to join them in their bid to educate children about charity-giving and continue to raise money for The Fed.  Please get in touch if you’d like to get involved.

The Big Birthday annual Llandudno holiday is one of several services offered by The Fed for children with special needs or in need, and their families. Further services include social work assessment and support, Project Smile home-based respite care as well as Stay & Play sessions and play-schemes held at The Fed’s purpose-built Children’s Centre at Heathlands Village.  For more information about these services call 0161 772 4800 or go online to www.thefed.org.uk.

Yavneh student Charlotte, of Hale Synagogue, and King David pupil Max, of South Manchester Synagogue, donated £100 each to the appeal.

The Big B’Mitzvah appeal encourages Bar and Bat Mitzvah children to donate a little of the money they receive for their simcha to help Jewish children in need. It was launched at King David High School by the Big Birthday Appeal in May this year.

The Big Birthday Appeal has created two striking donation cards for the new appeal – one for Bar Mitzvahs and the other for Bat Mitzvahs – priced at £2.50 each.  By buying the cards, friends and family of the children can also raise money for charity. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference.

All of the money raised from the cards and the children’s donations go to The Fed to fund an indoor sensory room and an outdoor play area for children with special needs. All the children who give a donation to the appeal – whether large or small – will be invited to visit the new facilities once they are completed, so that they can see for themselves what their generosity has funded. They will also each receive a framed certificate of thanks.

Charlotte said: “I received so many generous gifts for my Bat Mitzvah and wanted to put a little of that to help a really good cause. I also wanted my first action as a Jewish woman to be a mitzvah. I hope others will do the same so that the new play areas can be built quickly and children with special needs will have somewhere amazing to play.”

Suzy Glaskie, co-founder of the Big Birthday Appeal, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the Big B’Mitzvah Appeal has got off to such a flying start, with the cards selling like hot cakes and our first donations in from children celebrating their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.

“We’re extremely proud of Charlotte and Max for choosing to donate some of their gift money to children in need.  We hope that many other Bar and Bat Mitzvah children will also decide to use this milestone to help local children with special needs. Every donation will be a fantastic gesture and will be very welcome, no matter how small.”

Karen Phillips, Chief Executive of The Fed, said: “This is a fantastic example of how important it is to think of others who may need support.  All donations make a huge difference to us and quite simply mean we can help more people.  A very big thank you to Charlotte and Max!”

The 18-strong troop, aged six to eight, prepared and served sandwiches, ice cream and drinks to their parents, and even did the tidying-up afterwards!

The beavers’ efforts, which raised £94 for the Big Birthday Appeal, will also contribute to their Friendship Challenge badge.

The Big Birthday Appeal, which launched in Leeds in May 2011, was founded in 2001 by a group of mums in Manchester. The charity uses birthdays and other celebrations as trigger-points to raise charity for Jewish children in need and sells an innovative range of stickers to put on presents, plus donation cards, Bar and Bat Mitzvah cards, gift wrap and gift bags.

Funds raised in Leeds will go to the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board’s ‘Manny Cussins Family Project’. The project aims to help families in a variety of ways and the money raised by the Big Birthday Appeal will go specifically towards helping to fund holidays for families who aren’t fortunate enough to go on one otherwise.

The Big Birthday Appeal holds an annual Big Birthday Tea Party initiative, an easy and fun way to raise money for Jewish children in need. Participants host an afternoon tea for friends or family: instead of bringing a gift, guests are asked to make a donation to Big Birthday.

Alex Abrams (aka Bosco), one of the leaders of  the 22^nd Hillel North Leeds Beavers, said: “When I heard about the Big Birthday Appeal and its tea party initiative, I knew it was the perfect project for the beavers.  I’m chuffed to bits we managed to raise so much money to help Jewish children in need.

“We had a fantastic turn out and the beavers performed admirably, showing people to seats, taking orders, serving the food and then clearing away the empty plates. They really enjoyed the whole experience – you could see in their faces the smiles and effort throughout the whole evening.

“All the parents said how wonderfully polite and attentive the boys were and they had a great time chatting and watching the boys work so hard.”

Big Birthday Appeal mum Melissa Rosenberg, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to hear that the beavers have chosen to support Big Birthday.  They should be very proud of themselves for doing such a fantastic job, and for raising so much money which will help Jewish children in need in Leeds.”

If you’re interested in getting involved with Big Birthday, please contact Melissa Rosenberg on 07961 364 052, email info@thebigbirthdayappeal.org or visit www.thebigbirthdayappeal.org. 

If you’d like to host a Big Birthday tea party, email info@thebigbirthdayappeal.org to receive beautifully designed invitations to send out to guests and gorgeous recipe ideas and

The Big Birthday Appeal has launched a brand new initiative today, The Big B’ Mitzvah Appeal.

The Big Birthday team has created two striking, multi-coloured mazal tov cards – one for Bar Mitzvahs and the other for Bat Mitzvahs.  They cost £2.50 each, with all of that money going to The Fed to fund an indoor sensory room and an outdoor play area for children with special needs.

The Appeal is also encouraging Bar and Bat Mitzvah children to donate a proportion of the money they receive as gifts to the appeal, so that they are helping children in need as they celebrate their simcha.

Big Birthday Appeal co-founders Suzy Glaskie and Judith Moryoussef launched the cards and the appeal at King David High School’s 32-strong Bat Mitzvah class this afternoon.

Suzy Glaskie said: “The Big B’ Mitzvah Appeal is a natural evolution of the Big Birthday Appeal. We’ve found that children who’ve grown up with  Big Birthday since the age of 2 or 3 want to continue to help Jewish children in need – and that’s where the Big B-Mitzvah Appeal comes in.

“We’re hoping that many bar and bat mitzvah children will opt to mark their milestone by donating some of their gift money to help local children with special needs.”

The cards are available from www.thebigbirthdayappeal.org for a minimum donation of £2.50 each, with all proceeds going to The Fed.

Big Birthday was launched in 2001 by a group of mums in Manchester. The charity uses birthdays and other celebrations as trigger-points to raise charity for Jewish children in need and sells an innovative range of stickers to put on presents, plus donation cards, gift wrap and gift bags.

Judith was joined by her eight-year-old son Solomon, a North Cheshire Jewish Primary pupil.  He explained to the children how excited he and his friends were to be given the opportunity to help Jewish children in need, and how lucky he was to travel to Wales to meet the special needs children whose holiday he had helped to fund.

The Appeal’s huge following in Manchester since its launch ten years ago has enabled it to raise a remarkable £110,000 to date for Jewish Child’s Day and the The Fed’s Project Smile. Big Birthday is now looking to replicate this success in Leeds and will be supporting Leeds Jewish Welfare Board’s ‘Manny Cussins Family Project’.

Rebecca Weinberg, LJWB Chief Executive, said: “LJWB is delighted that the Big Birthday Appeal has recognised the invaluable support that we provide to the many local families with whom we work.  This funding will enable us to extend and develop additional support for families and children with additional needs, and will build on the strong foundation already established by Jewish Child’s Day.”

Judith commented: “We were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reaction of the schoolchildren, parents and teachers, and look forward to supporting the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board by raising as much money as possible.”

Longstanding Big Birthday supporter Michelle Cundle, who has moved to Leeds from Manchester, and Leeds’ Big Birthday coordinator, Melissa Rosenberg, were also present at the assembly.

Melissa said: “The minute I heard about this amazing charity, I wanted to get involved. It was so encouraging to see the children’s excitement about becoming a part of it too.

“With the help and support of everyone at Brodetsky Primary School, Michelle and I are looking forward to making the Big Birthday Appeal a huge success in Leeds.”

If you’re interested in getting involved with Big Birthday, please contact Melissa Rosenberg on 07961 364 052 or email info@thebigbirthdayappeal.org to find out more.

The official Big Birthday Tea Party month is June, and supporters can host a party at any point during the month. Instead of bringing a gift, guests are asked to make a donation to Big Birthday. The money raised from the initiative will be used to take local children with special needs on holiday this autumn. The four-day break in Llandudno, organised and run by professionally trained staff from The Fed, will include special outings such as bowling and trips to the beach and zoo, and many varied, stimulating and fun activities.

Suzy Glaskie, co-founder of the Big Birthday Appeal, commented: “The Big Birthday Tea Party is a really easy and fun way to raise money for Jewish children in need and you don’t need to be a Nigella Lawson to get involved! Whether your cakes are homemade or shop-bought, it’s an opportunity to enjoy the company of friends and family whilst ensuring that local children who really need a break have an unforgettable holiday this year.

“As we gear up for the summer holidays, it’s easy to forget that there are children right here in our community who cannot go on holiday because of the round-the-clock care they need to receive.

“This is the fourth year that Big Birthday is funding this holiday and for most of the children involved, the trip will be their first holiday. For their parents, the holiday represents a much-needed break from the challenging, 24/7 routine of caring for a child with special needs.”

If you’d like to host your own Big Birthday Tea Party, text Suzy on 07545 424 478 or email at info@thebigbirthdayappeal.org.

Big Birthday was launched in 2001 by a group of mums in Manchester. Its huge success in Manchester has enabled it to raise a remarkable £110,0001elove to , thday Appeal,ts to helpthday Mum, ves, however want to do their  so far and fund a range of projects including holidays for children with special needs. It is now looking to replicate this success in Leeds.

The charity uses birthdays and other celebrations as trigger-points to raise charity for children in need and sells an innovative range of stickers to put on presents, plus donation cards, gift wrap and gift bags. All proceeds go to JCD, formerly known as Jewish Child’s Day.

As the appeal appreciates how busy mums are, it’s made becoming a ‘Big Birthday Mum’ simple and easy to fit in around a busy schedule.

There are various ways in which you can help, including: selling stickers and wrapping paper, introducing the appeal to your child’s nursery or school, holding a ‘parlour’ evening for friends or helping out at events.

Melissa Rosenberg, Leeds’ Big Birthday coordinator, said: “The minute I heard about Big Birthday I wanted to get involved! It’s such an innovative way to raise money for an amazing cause, as well as inspiring children to give to others on a regular basis.

“I’m looking forward to hearing from other mums who are keen to work alongside me and make the Big Birthday Appeal a huge success in Leeds.”

Big Birthday considers it crucial to engage children in charity giving right from the age of two or three and believe that little and often is the best way to make charity a part of children’s lives. That’s why it works closely with nurseries and primary schools, taking assemblies and running a range of special projects to inspire children to give to others on a regular basis.

Big Birthday co-founder Suzy Glaskie, commented: “We’re very excited about the launch of Big Birthday in Leeds and hope that Melissa receives a lot of support to build up a network of ‘Big Birthday Mums’ who will help her raise money for Jewish children in need.”

If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact Melissa Rosenberg on 07961 364 052 or email info@thebigbirthdayappeal.org to find out more.

The charity held the fun and informative fundraiser at the home of Nicola Fine in Hale, Cheshire. The event provided parents, grandparents and carers with invaluable first aid advice and techniques for children and was hosted by two leading pediatricians, Dr Alison Jobling and Dr Colin Bernstein.

After gaining first aid advice from Dr Jobling – who was assisted by her daughter, Milly, aged 10 – and Dr Bernstein, the guests took part in a workshop where they were able to practise the various first aid techniques, such as resuscitation, on dummies.

Judith Moryoussef, co-founder of the Big Birthday Appeal, commented: “The hands-on workshop was fantastic and we all learnt many crucial life-saving skills.

“It was very apt that we were able to raise money for poorly children, whilst also learning how to administer first aid to our babies and children.”

There was a fantastically fun atmosphere at the event, which saw children walking around touting their toys, with an array of goods up for selling and swapping – from jigsaws and books to bikes and prams.

The Big Birthday Appeal supports JCD and The Fed’s ‘Project Smile’. At the end of the event, car loads of items were given to The Fed’s charity shops making it even more successful and extra special.

Judith Moryoussef, Big Birthday Appeal co-founder, said: “Everyone involved in this one of a kind event had such a great time. It was a big success in many ways, for both participants and the Big Birthday Appeal.”

The ‘joy in the wards’ project involved children aged between five and eight from North Cheshire Jewish Primary School, King David Primary School and South Manchester Synagogue in Bowdon, putting together gift bags filled with small gifts, such as crayons and drawing pads. The children also included a handmade, personalised card with their own message for the poorly patient. The gift bags were then delivered to ill children at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

To engage the children further and encourage them to think about what it might be like to be in hospital, the Big Birthday Appeal arranged for a local paediatrician to visit NCJPS, and a dedicated volunteer to visit King David Primary School to talk to the children at an assembly before Mitzvah Day.

Suzy Glaskie, the Big Birthday Appeal co-founder, said: “The Big Birthday Appeal was delighted to be a part of Mitzvah Day and the hands-on project we chose was a wonderful way to give children a taste of volunteering. It was a really fun way to encourage them to cheer up children their own age who are ill and confined to a hospital bed.”