A Swindon charity supporting children with Down's syndrome is on the shortlist to win a share of £1million - but they need the public's support to get it.
The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group is on the shortlist to win a share of Persimmon Homes’ Building Futures £1million community pot.
The scheme - which was launched last year - gives a boost to organisations working under-18s nationwide, where the winners are selected by public vote.
Persimmon Homes Wessex is backing Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group to be a prize winner at a gala dinner in October, where cash awards of £100,000, £50,000 or £20,000 will be made to those winning the most online votes.
A representive of The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group, Kim West, said: “It is a huge achievement to have been selected as a regional finalist, but now we really need people to get behind us and get voting so that we are in the strongest possible position to earn one of the top three cash awards on the night.
"The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group is a parent-led volunteer group, run by 10 Trustees and we support over 100 families in Swindon, and surrounding areas within an SN postcode. If we were successful, the money will go towards providing Speech and Language Therapy to our members.
"For all of us, being able to communicate is a fundamental part of our ability to be part of our communities, workplaces and families. Regular speech and language therapy gives our young people the opportunity to develop their speech and comprehension skills, enabling them to go on to achieve far more than might otherwise have been possible for them, and to become much better integrated into the community.
"We have seen the speech and language therapy sessions transform the lives and prospects of our young people. We can only continue to provide this service if we are able to raise sufficient funds. We are therefore extremely grateful to Persimmon Homes to have been chosen as a regional finalist and if we were to win one of the top three prizes, it would secure this project for come considerable time.
“Voting could not be simpler. Just visit to www.persimmonhomes.com/building-futures and select Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group and vote for us we would really appreciate everyone’s support. You can vote one every 24 hours until 27 September.”
Building Futures is being delivered through the Persimmon Charitable Foundation, which last year donated £620,000 to support children’s sport.
Through Building Futures, a total of 128 grants of £1,000 have been awarded to groups supporting sport, education & arts and health across Persimmon’s 31 regional businesses and its head office.
Persimmon Homes is an official partner of Team GB and the Persimmon Charitable Foundation enlisted the help of medallists Kat Copeland and Callum Skinner to help determine the three regional finalists for each business division.
One initiative from each category will go on to win £100,000 each through a national award scheme to be decided by a public vote.
As well as the £100,000 first prize, there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize in each sector, while a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.
Online voting is now open and will close at midnight on September 27.
For further information, and to vote, visit: www.persimmonhomes.com/building-futures/finalists?categoryid=3#vote
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