Laura and the Deeside Ladies Circle
The Deeside Ladies Circle recently made an amazing donation of £750 to CLAPA! We caught up with one of the group’s members, Laura, to find out more about the circle and why they chose to support CLAPA.
Ladies Circle is a modern, vibrant group of women whose aim is to make friends, have fun and support their local community by organising fundraising events. Deeside circle currently has 13 members and, although we can’t meet in person at present, we are still meeting online to hold fun events and plan future fundraising activities.
On June 6th this year we were due to have an ‘It’s a knockout’ style event bringing together teams of people to battle it out over and inflatable assault course held in a large playing field in North Wales. Due to Covid-19 we now can’t have this event but due to fundraising efforts over the course of last year we have money in the pot to still be able to make a donation to the charity our chair lady, Zoe, had chosen. We estimated that had the event taken place, we could have raised around £750 so we voted to still send this to CLAPA to help them to continue their fantastic work.
This charity was chosen after I expressed wanting to do a fundraiser in support of CLAPA, as I knew first -hand what wonderful work they do to give help and support to families that have been affected in some way by a cleft diagnosis. It was 3 years ago and I was pregnant with my son when we had our 20-week scan finding out he would be born with a cleft lip and possible cleft palate. Our world was turned upside down and I suffered a terrible time coming to terms with the news.
It was 3 years ago and I was pregnant with my son when we had our 20-week scan finding out he would be born with a cleft lip and possible cleft palate. Our world was turned upside down and I suffered a terrible time coming to terms with the news.
CLAPA reached out to me within days and made me feel so much better about everything, helping to explain what would happen in the coming weeks, months and years. They effectively quashed all my fears and made me realise that whatever happens, everything will be ok because they are there to help. Owen was born in September 2017 and any worries I had just disappeared completely as soon as I saw his beautiful face.
Owen was born in September 2017 and any worries I had just disappeared completely as soon as I saw his beautiful face.
Owen was born with a bilateral cleft lip and fortunately his palate was unaffected. CLAPA was always in contact to make sure we were ok and to prepare us for surgery which Owen had at nearly 6 months old in Alder Hey. Owen is now a typical cheeky two year old with not a care in the world and I thank CLAPA for making our cleft journey a positive one.
Owen is now a typical cheeky two year old with not a care in the world and I thank CLAPA for making our cleft journey a positive one.
I also want to personally thank all my friends in Deeside Ladies Circle who agreed to make this donation. There are many worthy charities who are struggling right now and I am humbled they chose CLAPA on our families behalf.
