Tracy Foster BEM Founder
Family Burn’s Club was established to help children, their families and young adults face the challenges of suffering a burn injury, in an atmosphere of fun, support and rehabilitation resulting in an improvement in care and experience. It was developed in response to the needs of burn-injured children who lacked appropriate psychological support.
Childhood burns are painful, traumatic and devastating which can be life changing for the child and their family. The cosmetic stigma of a burn can greatly affect a child’s confidence. Part of the social reintegration involves successfully returning to every day events, a process which requires a multi-agency approach in collaboration with the child and family.
Through regular “Burn’s Camps”, where we visit residential centres across the country, we provide children with opportunities that they may not otherwise be given. This includes a variety of activities such as, but not limited to, caving, climbing, canoeing, high rope challenges and orienteering. Our dedicated Burn’s Camp volunteers strive to provide a secure environment where the young people and their families can be themselves, away from some of the pressures which come from being ‘different’. The camps and day events allow the children, families and young adults to interact with others with similar injuries thus removing the cosmetic stigma, giving them the opportunity to socialise without concern as well as supporting each other with the daily difficulties posed by their injuries.
The club and all camps are at present funded without NHS support. It is funded through donations and fund-raising efforts by staff and volunteers, raising a total of around £30,000 annually. This money is raised through staff / volunteers going beyond the call of duty.
The club is run by a variety of volunteers whom are drawn from both NHS and non-NHS backgrounds. Roles are not usually part of job descriptions, although some NHS staff may be granted study leave to assist with events.
Parents & other family members will be invited to participate in appropriate club events, and encouraged to support the club in fund raising eventsSeeing the difference the club makes to the children, their families and young adults is amazing and I am so so proud to be part of this charity
