The Legacy Rainbow House: a Global's Make Some Noise-supported charity

9 September 2015, 11:20 | Updated: 7 September 2016, 15:28

We are in awe of the extraordinary levels of passion and dedication shown by Joanne Mawdsley, founder of The Legacy Rainbow House.

When Joanne was 24, she gave birth to her first child, William. He was her ‘light and energy’ but Joanne’s world came crashing down when, within just seven months, her family was told that William would not live.

Determined to overcome this horror, Joanne worked hard to help William in dealing with his severe brain injury. She discovered conductive education, and within three months, William was able to sit, stand and even crawl. She told us: “I saw the light in his blue eyes. I was determined he was going to survive.”

Joanne went on to have a second child, Tommy. He was a bundle of joy, sitting up at 6 months and developing well. Then tragedy struck. Devastated Joanne recognised the signs, and knew that Tommy was also suffering with the same condition as William.

It took five years for the boys to be diagnosed, during which time the Conductive Education Centre they were paying £1,200 per month to attend closed down. Only 5 months later, and determined to give other children the same opportunities that her boys had experienced, Joanne opened Rainbow House.

Joanne’s phenomenal will and fight saw her convert her negative anger into a positive catalyst, which has helped to improve the lives of children and their families. The house provides conductive education free of charge, and was entirely funded by the Mawdsley family until 2004, at which time it became a charity.

Hannah is just one of the children who currently benefits from the wonderful support provided at The Legacy Rainbow House. When first visiting the service, Hannah could only get around by dragging herself across the floor. Now, she is proudly able to sit, crawl and walk independently – as well as using signs and pictures to communicate.

Global’s Make Some Noise are delighted to be able to give a grant to this fantastic project, which will fund hours of rehabilitation and education for young people at the house. The hope is that as result, they will gain greater independence and improve their coping and communication skills – leading to them living happier, healthier lives.

To find out more, visit The Legacy Rainbow House website.

Global’s Make Some Noise is a national charity that helps to change young lives, brought to you by eight of the best-loved commercial radio stations in the UK: Heart, Capital, Capital XTRA, Classic FM, Smooth, LBC, Radio X and Gold.

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