When you’re bringing up a child or young person with additional or complex needs, having the right support network around you can make all the difference. That’s where Embrace steps in. We believe in wrapping support around the entire family, because everyone’s needs matter: from toddlers to teens, from parents to grandparents. 

 

Our warm, inclusive community and the activities and services we provide are grouped into five key areas: Early Years, Young People, Adults, Families, and Wellbeing. Here’s a closer look at how we help people to thrive at every stage. 

At Embrace, we believe life isn’t about limits: it’s about possibilities. And that belief is at the heart of our new campaign: #EmbracingLifeYourWay. We’re celebrating the power, the beauty, and the individuality of family life in all its forms – and every family out there is invited to join us. 

 

Embrace has always been about supporting families living with disabilities, and showing how they can live just as joyfully, boldly and fully as anyone else – and with this campaign, we want to share in your family life too. Whatever your story, wherever you are, we want to see how you embrace life your way. 

When Simon and Amy McMurdy’s daughter Olivia was born with complex medical needs, the way they thought their family life would unfold was instantly turned on its head. “We didn’t know what to do or where to turn,” they recall. “Life wasn’t what we expected - but Embrace gave us a roadmap for how to cope.” Here’s the story of how we were able to help and support one family, and how we’re still part of their lives and their story today. 

 

The family first connected with Embrace during Olivia’s early years. “From the 

very beginning, Embrace offered fantastic support; not just for Olivia, but for our whole family,” they say. Simon and Amy describe the impact of Embrace as nothing short of life-changing. “It’s very hard to imagine what you face as a 

family when you’re raising a child with complex needs,” they say. “But Embrace do such amazing work that makes a real difference. They understand what families need: not just the children, but siblings, parents, everyone.” 

 

Embrace, says Amy, are like having an insurance policy for the times in life that you just don’t see coming. Without it, you’d be lost. 

Volunteers’ Week takes place from 2-8 June this year, and we’re marking it by taking a moment to shout about something really special - the incredible dedication, time, and caring that our volunteers bring to Embrace. 

 

From helping at summer clubs to lending a hand at fundraising events, or sharing specialist skills in finance, marketing, or IT, our volunteers are the heartbeat of our charity. They don’t just give their time to our fabulous charity, but they also bring their warmth, energy, and commitment to helping us build a world where everyone gets the opportunity to thrive and have fun. 

 

We’re so proud to say that Embrace currently has 49 amazing volunteers, who together have contributed a staggering 2,307.5 hours of their time over the past year. That’s over 96 days of collective time given – which shows the power of community, and the difference we can make when we work together. 

 

Corporate Responsibility is becoming a standard feature of many organisations’ strategies, as it brings so many benefits: it enhances their reputation, acts as another way to attract socially-conscious customers, and helps you to comply with the UK Companies Act 2006, which encourages directors to consider wider social and environmental impacts. 

 

Putting it in your strategy is important – but finding ways to put CR into practice, and take a leading role in giving back to your community, can sometimes be more difficult. But here at Embrace, we are all about fresh ideas and making things easier! So here’s a host of ways you as a business can support a wonderful charity, just like ourselves, with your CR activities – plus more about the benefits it can bring you, and the very real difference you’ll be making to the charity as well. 

 

A fantastic night of laughter is on the horizon as Avalon proudly presents a Comedy Night in aid of Embrace, a Bedford-based charity dedicated to supporting families living with disabilities in Bedfordshire. The event will take place at Leicester Square Theatre on 25th June 2024, featuring an incredible line up of top comedians, including the hilarious Rob Delaney and the brilliant Ahir Shah, with more acts to be announced. 

 

This one-night-only comedy extravaganza promises to deliver an unforgettable evening while raising crucial funds for Embrace’s ongoing work in the community. All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the charity, helping them continue their essential support services. 

 

For over 70 years, Embrace has provided unwavering support to people with disabilities and their families in Bedfordshire. They offer a wide range of services for young people with complex needs, including early years groups, holiday clubs, social activities, and well-being support for parent carers. As a charity, they rely on fundraising events like this to sustain their vital work. 

We know that when a family member has a disability, it affects the entire family unit. Life can be challenging and, at times, isolating - that’s why it’s so important to us that we support every member of the family, not just the individual with the disability. 

 

We have designed a range of services that the whole family can access: parents, carers, siblings and the wider family too, so that no one is left behind, and the whole family can enjoy new and exciting experiences together. 

 

Here's a look at some of the activities we have on offer, as well as some of the broader community support and resources you can access as well. There is an Embrace for the whole family… 

Life, as our Chair of Trustees describes it, is like riding a bicycle—you have to keep moving. Meet Paul Lockyer, who’s been at the trustees’ helm since 2022 – and in this recent conversation, he shared what inspired him to get involved with Embrace, what keeps him hooked, and his hopes for the charity’s future. 

After a successful career in the technology sector, collaborating with great teams and developing innovative products for leading companies around the globe, Paul felt it was time for a change. “There are plenty of books about reinvention, embracing change, and being brave,” Paul reflects. “My career gave me an opportunity to be brave and try something completely different.” 

We can’t believe it, but the Embrace Toy Library celebrated its one-year anniversary in December! 

 

We know the Toy Library is a unique, invaluable resource for families in our community, and we’re so proud of it – so this month, we’re celebrating this wonderful facility and how it means so much to the families who belong to it… 

The Toy Library was originally created as North Bedfordshire Toy Library. When it could no longer be run by its founders, it was generously gifted to us in December 2023. It’s now run on behalf of Embrace by the amazing Brittney, who volunteers her time and energy – and we’re proud to say that it continues to be a huge support in the lives of many families. 

 

In exchange for membership of £1 per month, families can choose from a wide range of high-quality toys, games, and sensory items that are available for loan – up to five per family per month. Whether it’s a puzzle, a fidget toy, or a sensory playset, these resources offer not just entertainment, but also crucial developmental support for children with SEN.