About the Big Toddle for Barnardos
This summer childcare groups all over the country will be organising their own Big Toddle for Barnardos and we want YOU to be part of the fun! Toddle groups from junior schools, crèches, Montessoris and families are asked to do a simple sponsored walk in aid of Barnardos. You can toddle anywhere, anytime of your choosing between 1st May and 30th June 2017.
- The Big Toddle for Barnardos is now in its 14th year.
- In the first 13 years of the event we have seen over 290,000 children taking on the Big Toddle.
- Over 9,000 groups have organised sponsored Big Toddles
- Together they have raised more than a whopping €3.1 million for children in Ireland!
The Big Toddle for Barnardos is all about children helping children.
Information for:
Where the money goes
At Barnardos, we work with thousands of children to help change their lives. Jamie is just one of them...
At just five year's old, Jamie has already been through a lot.
Jamie's teacher had raised concerns about his appearance as he looked malnourished, exhausted and it was very obvious he couldn't hold his concentration long enough to learn, interact or play. Jamie was hungry.
When Jamie first came through the doors of our Barnardos centre, he wasn't interested in talking about what was going on at home. He didn't talk about how his parents struggled every day to put food on the table because they are so financially stretched, isolated and physically and emotionally stressed.
"It took him a while to confide that his family rarely got a proper meal. The kitchen cupboards were practically empty. At school, he was so hungry that sometimes he would hide his classmate's leftovers from lunch in his schoolbag and take them home. It was obvious that his family loved him, but they were really struggling to cope and survive."
Niamh - Project Worker with Barnardos
Since coming to Barnardos, Jamie is making good progress. He is more willing to be honest about his feelings, as he is having more interaction with his parents who are beginning to really understand what it will take for him to thrive.
His parents are benefiting too. His Mum feels less alone and has made new friends on her parenting course. Jamie's Dad is a lot more involved and has discovered a flair for cookery. This has given him a real and new sense of purpose, and he is now in part-time education and training to become a chef. Now, before he goes to class in the evening, he often cooks Jamie's dinner. In fact, Jamie can't stop talking about Dad's yummy spaghetti bolognaise!
Jamie and his parents have come a long way and it has been an intensive process. We still have a lot more to do, and we can't do it without you. Every Big Toddle will help us in our aim to make Ireland the best place in the world to be a child. Thanks to the generosity of Toddlebox all the money YOU raise goes directly to achieving this goal.
Thank You!
