Whitby WHISH receives £1,000 award from High Sheriff to support children with disabilities

Speaking at the award presentation, Yvonne Harrison highlighted both the beauty and the challenges of living in the rural, often isolated areas of Whitby and the Esk Valley.

“If you have a child with an impairment or disability, you're more likely to live in poverty, and more likely for your relationship to break down,” she said.

“That’s a triple disadvantage – poverty, rurality, and disability.

"What you need is Parent Power.”

WHISH began in 2008 when six mums of children with autism came together to support one another.

Since then, it has grown into a vital lifeline for more than 110 families and 225 children in the region, supporting children with more than 40 different types of disabilities, from autism, epilepsy, and diabetes to sight and hearing impairments, chronic pain, and life-limiting conditions.

Many of these children face social isolation, communication difficulties, and limited opportunities to join in the activities that most children take for granted.

The £1,000 award was presented in recognition of WHISH’s strategic direction – its clear vision for long-term impact.

Yvonne said: “Strategic direction is our roadmap: we decide what we want to do, we do it well, and we keep checking how to do it better.

"It might look easy from the outside – but it isn’t.”

Open six days a week, WHISH offers a wide range of services: inclusive activities for children and teens, a multi-sensory room, adapted sports and swimming, holiday and after-school clubs, food support, healthy eating programs, parental training in sign language and first aid, peer support groups, and inclusive family outings. The charity’s success is powered by a team of 40 dedicated volunteers and support from donors, local partners, and organizations like 2Ridings, who help WHISH continue to grow and improve. “This award, the £1,000, and the publicity that comes with it will help us reach even more families,” said Yvonne.

“You’re helping children with disabilities and impairments do the things most kids get to do – learn, play, and just be kids.”