Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity (DVLCC) is proud to celebrate 25 years of providing life-changing support to babies and young children living with cerebral palsy and other motor learning impairments. Since opening its doors in 2001, the charity has grown from a vision by the late Dame Vera Lynn into a vital regional service supporting families across the entire southeast. As they mark this special milestone, they are setting an ambitious goal to support 25 more children this year—ensuring even more families can access the early intervention that can make all the difference. Supporting a child for a year costs £7,000, and every donation helps give these children the care and therapy they need to thrive.
Dame Vera Lynn’s legacy remains at the heart of everything the charity does. Her deep compassion for children facing difficult starts in life, coupled with her determination to ensure families never feel alone, continues to guide the charity today. What began as a small, dedicated service has grown into a specialist centre offering physiotherapy, music therapy, speech and language therapy, swimming sessions, rebound therapy, outreach home-play, parent support, and a warm, family-centred approach.
Over the last 25 years, DVLCC has expanded its reach to support families from across the southeast, including West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire, and beyond. Each year, the charity provides tailored support programmes that help children build confidence, mobility, communication, and independence — always working in partnership with parents, who are central to each child’s progress.
“Reaching our 25th anniversary is a powerful reminder of the impact Dame Vera Lynn’s vision continues to have,” said Glenys Creese, CEO. “We are incredibly proud of the children and families we’ve supported, but we know the need continues to grow. Our aim for the next 25 years is simple: to reach even more children, earlier, and with even greater impact.”
Virginia Lewis-Jones, Dame Vera’s daughter, is so thrilled about the achievements of her mother’s charity. “It obviously means a huge amount to see how my mother’s initial thoughts for the charity have gone forward in leaps and bounds over the past 25 years. Initially her determination was to improve the quality of life for children with cerebral palsy and allied neurological conditions, and we now have over 1,000 children and their families that we support and nurture. I am obviously really proud of what has been achieved so far and the future achievements that I know will happen. My mother would be also really proud of the love, care and expertise that continues in her name.”
As demand for specialised support continues to rise, the charity is committed to expanding its services, strengthening outreach, and ensuring families across the region can access the help they need at the earliest possible stage. New initiatives planned for the coming years will allow DVLCC to build on its reputation as a trusted, expert provider of early intervention for children with motor learning challenges.
Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity receives no statutory funding and relies entirely on community support to provide its vital services. It costs over £600,000 per year to run the full service which is provided free of charge to families.
Throughout the anniversary year, the charity will share stories from families past and present, celebrate the legacy of Dame Vera Lynn, and launch opportunities for supporters to help shape the charity’s next chapter.
For more information about the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity or to support its 25th anniversary initiatives, please visit the website or contact Amalia Lovett, Head of Fundraising and Marketing at [email protected].
