Help keep Hollow Lane Club going, and every £1 becomes £3

My niece, Lucy, has complex needs that are lifelong and significant. For most children, afterschool clubs and holiday camps are simply part of growing up. For Lucy and her family, they barely exist. A typical activity day camp in Devon costs around £25 to £40. The few settings that can meet Lucy’s needs cost close to £200 a day - more even for children with the most complex needs. For many families, that’s impossible.

That’s why the Hollow Lane Club matters so much. It’s essentially the only affordable childcare in Devon for children with additional and complex needs. For my sister and brother in law, it means three things:

A place where Lucy thrives. She loves routine, and Hollow Lane gives her stable, predictable activities in a safe environment, with friends her own age.

Respite. Caring for a disabled child is relentless. A few hours of rest can make the difference between a family coping and a family breaking.

Community. Lucy’s dad says there’s no “school gate culture” for families like theirs. Hollow Lane puts them in touch with other parents who truly understand.

As one parent put it on the Club’s own website, it’s “life-changing” for so many families. I’ve seen that first-hand.

Hollow Lane is a small registered charity offering inclusive clubs accessible for 100+ children and young people with complex disabilities across Devon. It depends on small donations and National Lottery funding, which is at a multi-year low. Without this support, there is nowhere else for these families to go.

This is where you come in. My colleague James and I are fundraising together, and our employer will double match every donation, so £10 from you becomes £30 for Hollow Lane. That’s an unusual chance to make a real difference to a charity this size, and to help it keep going.

Please give what you can, and share this page with anyone who might want to help.