On Wednesday the 17th of August 2022, disabled children from 18-Northamptonshire families were able to enjoy a free fun-day out at Wicksteed Park, Kettering thanks to a grant from Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire Freemasons made to disability charity, Contact.
They were welcomed by Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Mark Constant, together with WBro Tim Lucy, representative of the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), and WBro Mick Warren, Deputy Provincial Charity Steward.
30-rides and activities were available to enjoy at the park including paddling in the splash-zone, boating on the lake, and meeting the animals in the farmyard, all set in 147-acres of beautiful rolling parkland.
For many of the children, this was the first major outing in many months that they were able to experience since restrictions imposed during the COVID pandemic were lifted.
The grant was routed through the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), which administers charitable funds raised by Freemasons, their families, and friends, both locally and throughout England and Wales.
Contact’s Better Together events manager, Harriet Squirrell, said:
We’re very grateful to Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire Freemasons and the MCF for their generous grant. Families with disabled children can feel isolated and alone because they don’t know anyone else in their situation. Days out together like this are the perfect tonic. It’s an opportunity for families to enjoy fun shared experiences, they also boost confidence and help them make friends and support networks.
Northants and Hunts Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Mark Constant, said:
I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to help Contact offer local families with disabled children a fantastic family day out. We know it’s been a particularly difficult time for both the children and their families, so we hope that they had lots of fun exploring everything Wicksteed Park has to offer.
