Stars design tutus to help battle loneliness among disabled children

The extent of loneliness amongst Britain’s 1.8 million disabled children has been laid bare in a new survey. The poll, to mark the Flamingo Chicks charity’s 10th anniversary, indicates that 45% of disabled children feel lonely regularly and of those children, 15% feel lonely every single day.

Since the charity began work in 2013, 35,323 children have danced with Flamingo Chicks – 11,589 of those in 2023 alone. Flamingo Chicks has done everything from performing at Downing Street to delivering a speech at the United Nations in New York.

Flamingo Chicks founder and CEO Katie Sparkes MBE said: "Loneliness should have no place in the lives of our disabled children. The shocking statistics reveal an urgent need for change. At Flamingo Chicks, we are dedicated to transforming these numbers."

Only 9% of all disabled children rarely feel lonely and 90% believe there aren’t enough ways for them to make friends within their community.

Terry Mullins, whose son Jack has Down’s Syndrome, said: “The opportunities for disabled children and young people to mix with their peers has always been so limited. Sadly this often results in young adults and older adults having a restricted life. Anything that offers an inclusive opportunity is to be applauded."

Flamingo Chicks has called on famous faces to design a tutu, including Lorraine Kelly, Angela Rippon and Gladiator Fury. Each of the tutus is available to own by making a donation on the Crowdfunding campaign where they are listed as rewards: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/may-100-2024

‘It Takes Two to Tutu’, sees the celebrity designed tutus crafted into real tutus, one in grown-up size and the other child-sized, with celebrity supporters including Lorraine Kelly, Evie Pickerill and Andy Day from Cbeebies, Gladiator Fury (aka Jodie Ounsley), Angela Rippon, Amy Dowden, Briony May Williams, Michael Gunning, Lost Voice Guy, Carrie & David Grant, Jayne Middlemiss, Gail Porter, Olive Grey and Marcus Ramtohul, some of whom have shared the following quotes:

Flamingo Chicks is working to expand its provision of dance classes.