History
The Dame Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy was set up in 2001 when the UK national charity Scope announced that it would be unable to continue funding the School for Parents at Ingfield Manor, West Sussex. The School for Parents is a specialist support service for families with babies and children under five.
In October 2010 we expanded our services to combine with the School for Parents in Suffolk and now have over 80 families attending our schools, who travel from Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Essex, Middlesex, Berkshire, Suffolk and the London Boroughs.
We are determined that this resource is available for as long as it is needed. It is therefore paramount that we secure funding so that the School for Parents is not placed in a vulnerable position again. The Trust believes in constantly reviewing its mission, as our close relationship with our families reveals more areas in which we can help.
The Trust Office is based at Ingfield Manor in Five Oaks at the site of the School for Parents West Sussex and we have a very close relationship with the staff and families at both of our schools. We work together to ensure that we are constantly aware of the needs of the school and parents, families and friends all get involved in our fundraising activities.
Our ultimate aim is to be able to supply all necessary help to families with young children affected by cerebral palsy and associated motor learning difficulties and to ensure everyone is made aware of the existence of our service. No other organised help is available and we receive no statutory funding from the Government.
In January 2012 a new Collaboration Agreement was signed between Scope and the Dame Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy for the Ingfield Manor site and the terms and principles of this Agreement are as follows:
- The Dame Vera Lynn Trust School for Parents at Ingfield Manor is a service offered by the Dame Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy.
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- The Dame Vera Lynn Trust is wholly responsible for funding the Service.
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- The Dame Vera Lynn Trust has a contractual agreement with Scope to manage and operate the Service at Ingfield Manor on its behalf.
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- Scope is wholly responsible for delivering the Service at Ingfield Manor on a day-to-day basis, including the provision of staff, equipment and all other necessary resources.
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- The Dame Vera Lynn School for Parents building at Ingfield Manor, in which the Service is provided, is leased by Scope to the Dame Vera Lynn Trust under a separate agreement.