What a year!
We held our last event of 2025 yesterday at the Royal Hotel in Scarborough and what an amazing event to finish off an amazing year!
In January of this year, the future of the organisation was facing uncertain times while it searched for new trustees to take over the running of the charity. Since then YCF have gone from strength to strength.
The original trustees all worked so hard for the last 10 years. Not only did they built it from the ground up, it was one of the first in the area to offer a whole family approach when it comes to supporting a family with a disabled child(ren). The founders recognised that support for these families was in dire need and YCF was born. It wasn’t without its teething problems but everyone persevered and took the charity from strength to strength through sheer determination and a lot of hard work.
After 10 years of giving up their own time to support other families, its time for them to retire knowing they have achieved so much and helped hundreds of children, parents and carers alike over the years. This is when the announcement came at the end of January that new trustees would be needed in order for the charity to continue.
We had several new trustees sign up within a month of the announcement and the rest of the year has been a whirlwind. YCF is going forward with new faces, new ideas and a new fire has emerged within the organisation.
Behind the scenes, everyone has worked tirelessly organising, coordinating, learning new skills, getting to grips with paper works, websites, applying for funding, fundraising ourselves, attending awareness events and hosting our own events too!
This year has seen so many children smile and have fun, go places they wouldn’t normally be able to go. Meet new people, have experiences, be included and feel seen. We have given parents and carers the opportunity to sit and chat to other parents and carers over a cuppa. To feel understood and not judged. We’ve even had sing a longs on coaches!
2025 for YCF looked like this:
January 30th - Future is unknown. Appeal for new trustees
February - Meeting with those who showed interest to talk about everything involved, expectations etc
March - Several Trustees signed up. Future looking more promising.
April 8th - The new trustees bit the built and organised their first event - Sewerby Hall and Gardens! It was a huge success too.
May 14th - Bi-monthly unbirthday parties were introduced. Coordinated by our trustees and hosted by the fabulous team over at The Secret Realm, Eastfield
June - Fundraising and Applying for grants
July 15th - Unbirthday Party event at The Secret Realm
July 29th - Bowling event at Olympia Leisure Centre
August 25th - FUTURE SECURED FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS!! Funding Awarded from the National Lottery COMMUNITY FUND (All the trustees were doing happy dances with this one!)
August 29th - Playdale Farm Park family fun day
September 23rd - Unbirthday Party event at The Secret Realm
October 28th - Day Trip to York shopping with thanks to Esk Valley Coaches, then onto Flip Out Trampoline park for an exclusive hire for our families
November 4th - Unbirthday party event at The Secret Realm
December 14th - Annual Christmas party hosted by the fabulous Royal Hotel and what a celebration we all had!
We have finished the year on a high and we have so many ideas and plans for our families for 2026. Its going to be absolutely amazing! We couldn’t have achieved everything we have this year without sheer determination and drive. But also we couldn’t have done it without the support and guidance of the original trustees. Enjoy your retirement and thank you for trusting us new trustees with your precious YCF. We promise to look after it and all those who use the service.
From everyone here at YCF new and old, we wish you all the very best for Christmas and you’ll be seeing a lot more of us in 2026.