Mum-of-three creates sensory boxes for SEN children after unbelievable community kindness made son's birthday one to beat
A mum is giving back to the community after strangers made her son’s birthday one to remember
The kindness of strangers has spurred on a mum to give back to the community by creating sensory boxes for children with special education needs.
Chloe Wheeler has been motivated to create free sensory boxes for SEN children after being blown away by the generosity of a stranger who gave her son, Roman-Francis Lock, £5 for his birthday after witnessing him upset at The Farmhouse, in Burrfields Road.
The 25-year-old took to social media back in April to find the woman and thank her, but instead she was faced with a wave of kindness from members of the community sending Roman birthday wishes and birthday gifts.
Her seven-year-old, who has auditory memory difficulties, was over the moon, and the community spirit has prompted her to give something back to other parents.
She said: “The community made Roman’s birthday and it has always been part of my plan to give back as a huge thank you. It was a birthday he will never forget. When the presents came in the post, we kept the Amazon notes so he can look back on them when he’s older. Since then, Roman has had some issues making friends and I think he’s becoming aware of his differences and as a mum, it has been really hard to come to terms with my own feelings about Roman’s diagnosis.
“It started as something small but now I want to make it bigger.”
The mum-of-three from Cosham is planning on creating 50 boxes equipped with sensory toys, feeling charts, next and now boards, personalised reward charts, bookmarks and book covers to help parents and children alike.
Chloe has already had ten parents reach out to her on social media and she is planning on donating 30 boxes to Sophie’s Legacy where they will be distributed Queen Alexandra Hospital’s paediatric unit. SEND Faces - a support group for parents with children who have special educational needs and disabilities - will also receive ten boxes.
She added: “I have cried on multiple occasions because some of the messages I’ve had have validated my own feelings. There are other parents out there in the same situation as me and it’s overwhelming that I can offer this sort of support with something I felt so alone with and it feels amazing to make a difference.
“Roman has been amazing, it has helped him gain some friends. He had been very upset because he has been finding it hard to make friends at school but I’ve had some mums come forward and he is now interacting with their children on Xbox. It’s brought him a little community of friends that he has been crying out for. He’s really excited to be doing it with me and we are planning on hand delivering them together.”
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Chloe is aiming to have the boxes complete by the first week of the summer holidays so the recipients “can enjoy them all the way up until September” and she is hoping there will be enough demand that she can create boxes every half term.
“I just saw this as the perfect opportunity to say thank you and bring parents of children with learning difficulties together and provide some support that might be lacking”, she continued.