What we do
Therapy Stars Foundation offers awards of up to £500 to families living in Shropshire, Cheshire or North Wales for them to access therapy for a child with a long-term or life-limiting condition. Our grants can also be used for siblings of these children.
Therapy may include more well-known professions such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy, but also those lesser known such as Music Therapy, Hippotherapy & Equine therapy, Hydrotherapy & Aquatic Therapy and counselling for example.
Early Intervention is key for many young children with long term or life-limiting conditions and ongoing therapy is a way of life for most of these families. But the financial constraints placed on all families, as well as the reduced resources available through statutory services, have meant that many children do not receive the therapy that they need or deserve.
OUR MISSION
We strive to help children thrive
OUR VALUES
Empowering families
Supporting progress
Promoting wellbeing
Enabling growth
OUR VISION
Using therapy to support foundations & enabling stars to shine.
OUR HISTORY
Therapy Stars Foundation was created in 2021 by Sian Boffey as a way of supporting local children with long term or life limiting conditions and their families to access various recognised therapies. Sian is a children’s Physiotherapist who set up her own private practice, Therapy Stars, back in 2014.
Seeing how families were often struggling to fund either extra therapy on top of what they were offered by statutory services, or those therapies not provided by the NHS, Sian felt that there must be a way to help.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted these same families hugely when their access to the therapy that they were offered via the NHS was then stopped completely. This was the final push needed to move forward with the idea of a Charity Foundation. Sian then persuaded two friends, Suzie & Deb, to become co-Trustees of the charity as they both have experience of working with families of children with long-term conditions and disabilities. Therapy Stars Foundation was finally registered with the Charity Commission in December 2021!
MEET THE TRUSTEES TEAM
Sian Boffey
Sian is a children’s physiotherapist who runs her own private practice. She has vast experience of over 18 years working with children and families with various needs within the NHS and privately. Sian regularly works collaboratively with multi – disciplinary teams to provide the best support available for the children she works with.
Deb Whalley
Deb is a qualified psychotherapist who works with children, young people and their families. She has a wide range of experience supporting individuals with very different needs. Deb has a host fundraising experience and an understanding of how we can best work to meet our fundraising goals.
Suzie Allcock
Suzie is a qualified teacher and SENDCo who has worked for over 20 years with children of all ages and abilities. Her specialism in Special Needs has given her experience of the challenges families face accessing the support their children deserve. She is now working as a client care coordinator, again supporting families access services as best she can.
Helen Hutcheson
Helen has 15 years experience in operations and fulfilment within a multinational credit card company. She has also gained extensive knowledge within the pharmacy sector after having her two children. Helen was diagnosed with Lymphoma and has needed extensive medical treatment over the past couple of years, so she knows just how much help, support and financial assistance is needed for patients and family members. She hopes to make a difference wherever she can.
Lisa Aird
A qualified teacher, nutritionist and graduate member of the British Psychological Society, Lisa truly looks at the bigger picture when it comes to health and well-being. Working across education and children’s services for over a decade, Lisa gained valuable experience supporting families with a range of needs and coordinating provision of care. More recently, Lisa embarked on the freelance life, consulting in education, nutrition and psychology.
After being the one in meetings asking for support for her families, Lisa hopes this time she can be on the team to offer it.
SAFEGUARDING & OTHER POLICIES
We Strive to Help children thrive
We use therapy to support family foundations and allow stars to shine. There are multiple ways to show support from donations, fundraisers, volunteering and more.