Kentown Wizard Foundation grant will help kids in greatest need of support in Blackpool

National children’s charity, Dreams Come True, has been awarded a five-year £867,500 grant to deliver dreams to children in the greatest of need across Blackpool and the North West.

Children living in poverty, who have disabilities, life-limiting conditions and serious illnesses will be the much-deserved beneficiaries of this funding.

When local businessman Ken Townsley established The Kentown Wizard Foundation in 2015, Dreams Come True was among the first charities to receive a grant.

The Foundation's support continues to this day, and the commitment to their founding principles—creating a positive and enduring impact on the lives of children with life-limiting conditions and serious disabilities—shines brighter than ever through this project.

Lisa King, OBE, CEO of Dreams Come True says: ‘We are thrilled to have been awarded such a significant grant from our longstanding and stalwart supporter, The Kentown Wizard Foundation. 

‘’With this funding we are able to build a new programme of carefully targeted dream delivery which will find and reach children who live across the North West in its hidden communities. With this funding in place we anticipate being able to reach around 600 very deserving children each year – which means a 14% increase in our overall national programme of work. We are delighted.

“Over the course of the five-year grant period we will establish a strong programme of dream delivery, underpinned by strong local partnerships, which will ensure we leave no child waiting and wanting of our support. Thank you to Ken and his team for quite literally making dreams come true.”

Anna Twentyman, chief financial officer, The Kentown Wizard Foundation says: “When Blackpool was identified as an area of higher deprivation, that Dreams Come True would like to target, we had to get involved.

‘’We have partnered with Dreams Come True for many years now and continue to be inspired by their ambition. With Blackpool being the hometown of our founder, collaborating on making dreams come true for the children here is an incredible opportunity and we are proud to be supporting Dreams Come True once again.”

The first dream that will be delivered in Blackpool thanks to funding from The Kentown Wizard Foundation is to for Park Community Academy, a special needs school supporting over 280 children with physical disabilities, sensory processing needs, learning, communication and cognition difficulties.

A new sensory garden, which will be completed in October, will turn a disused and uninspiring outside area into an engaging and welcoming sensory, self-regulatory retreat.

Miss Laura Pownall, Head of faculty sensory and complex needs at Park Community Academy, says; “We are thrilled to receive support from Dreams Come True and Kentown Wizard which will create an outdoor sensory environment for our pupils.

‘’This initiative will provide a transformative space where pupils can explore, learn, and thrive in a stimulating and inclusive setting.

“We chose to apply for this project because we believe in the profound impact that sensory environments can have on the development of children, particularly for those facing additional challenges.

‘’The funding is crucial as it enables us to bring this vision to life, ensuring that every pupil has the opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of a sensory-rich outdoor space.

“We hope this project inspires other schools in Blackpool to apply for their own community dreams, so we can collectively make a difference in the lives of even more children who need it most.”