28 October 2005

Bloomberg hosted NPC event for donors to launch Ordinary Lives

Author Nick Hornby spoke recently at the launch of Ordinary lives, NPC’s report on disabled children and their families. The event was hosted by Bloomberg and helped to draw donors’ attention to the needs of disabled children and the compelling role for charities.

“Our overriding message is that disabled children should be enabled to lead ordinary lives, like other children,” said Cathy Langerman , who co-authored the report and manages NPC’s research team.

Hornby, author of “About A Boy” and “How To Be Good”, has firsthand experience of life with a disabled child. His son Danny is autistic.

Looking after a disabled child is often demanding said Hornby: “You wouldn't believe how much money we spend just to live a life that many of you take for granted…But I know how lucky I am - there are many parents who simply cannot afford to live the life I lead. They are not asking for much - just an ordinary life which involves sleep, work and a little leisure time. But it's out of their reach.”

In 1997, Hornby got together with other parents whose children have autism and set up the Treehouse Trust. The London-based charity provides an educational centre for children with autism and Hornby credits them with the progress that Danny has made, and “ with autism it’s important that they’re moving forwards and not backwards,” he said. “At the heart of Danny’s education is the right people and Treehouse has the right people.”

Supporting charities can be a really rewarding experience says Hornby. “ [I]t’s not true that money can’t buy happiness. It can, that’s the good news. The bad news is, it’s someone else’s happiness – the happiness of everyone involved in these incredible charities – parents, children, carers, everybody. But that happiness is contagious.”

Harvey McGrath, Non-Executive Chairman of Man Group plc and Founding Trustee of NPC and Michael Pattison CBE, Director of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, also spoke at the launch.

Click here to see more on NPC's research report Ordinary Lives

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