Making Spirits Bright: Santa’s Grotto Launch Brings Joy and Support for Helen Arkell Students

Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity and children from surrounding local schools welcomed Santa and his team of elves to Squires Garden Centre, Badshot Lea, to help cut the ribbon and launch the opening of Santa’s Grotto for 2025!

Children who have benefited from the services of Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity joined from Potters Gate School in Farnham and William Cobbett School Farnham and were the first to meet Father Christmas and his helpers! Each child visited Santa and everyone came away with a special gift.

Squires Garden Centre, Badshot Lea, have chosen Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity as their Charity of the Year this year, and we are thrilled to have their support. As part of this, £1 from every ticket sold for Santa’s Grotto will be donated to Helen Arkell in the New Year. These funds will help us provide life-changing support to more people with dyslexia.

Santa’s Grotto is open until 4pm on Christmas Eve, so there’s lots of time to book your place and visit before Christmas!

To make a booking, please visit their website here. 

 

By |2025-11-25T15:20:34+00:00November 25th, 2025|Fundraising news, Homepage featured, Latest news, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Making Spirits Bright: Santa’s Grotto Launch Brings Joy and Support for Helen Arkell Students

Farnham Charity Bike Ride 2025

Take part in the 17th Farnham Charity Bike Ride in aid of Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity!

This exciting event is suitable for cyclists of all ages and abilities! Explore stunning countryside, discover charming villages and challenge yourself as you help Helen Arkell raise vital awareness and funds to enable us to continue to support many more people through their journey with dyslexia.

This year’s event will take place on Sunday 21st September 2025, starting on Castle Street, Farnham.

  • Children aged under 16 go FREE when accompanied by a fee-paying adult
  • Free medal for all finishers
  • Four routes to choose from: 16 miles, 25 miles, 50 miles, and 75-miles!

For the full event details and to sign up please visit their website

Contact the Helen Arkell fundraising team on 01252 792400 or fundraising@helenarkell.org.uk for fundraising support.

Please note this event is run and organised by The Hedgehogs and St. Andrews Infant School PTA.

By |2025-08-22T15:40:51+01:00July 7th, 2025|Fundraising news|Comments Off on Farnham Charity Bike Ride 2025

Farnham Literary Festival – Reading High-Frequency Words Accurately and Fluently Talk

Reading High-Frequency Words Accurately and Fluently

March 9  at 10:30am – 12:00

Join us at the Farnham Literary Festival on March 9 to learn how to enhance high-frequency word reading!

Marlene Caplan will lead the session and is an Educational Psychologist and Specialist Teacher with extensive experience in teaching and assessment. Marlene is a Tutor on the Level 7 Diploma Course and has worked as a SENCo and Specialist Teacher at Yale University and the Institute of Education. She co-authored Anyone Can Spell It and Just in Time(s) and also created the reading game Phrase It®.

Research shows that the first 1,000 high-frequency words account for 90% of reading material. Recognising these words is key to improving accuracy and fluency for any child learning to read. This talk covers what these words are, where we see them, and why we need to learn them. It also explores ways to improve high-frequency word recognition both in terms of accuracy and fluency. The session will highlight resources and strategies suitable for parents and teaching staff, including Phrase It®, a new game designed to boost high-frequency word reading skills.

Tickets are on sale here.

By |2025-03-14T17:20:08+00:00February 20th, 2025|Course news|Comments Off on Farnham Literary Festival – Reading High-Frequency Words Accurately and Fluently Talk

Invitation to our Christmas Drinks evening

We would love you to join us for our annual Christmas Drinks evening when we celebrate the work of the charity during the last year.

Come and enjoy drinks and nibbles with our friends and colleagues while having a look around the Farnham Centre.

This is our chance to catch up and to say a heartfelt thank you for the support you’ve given us over the last 12 months.

Where: 24 West Street, Farnham GU9 7DR

When: Thursday, 28 November from 6 to 8 pm

Please let us know you are coming along by emailing events@helenarkell.org.uk

See you there!

 

By |2024-10-30T12:59:16+00:00October 30th, 2024|Fundraising news|Comments Off on Invitation to our Christmas Drinks evening

Goals for Good: Community Spirit Shines as Farnham FC Hosts Dyslexia Awareness Week Charity Game

On Saturday, October 12th, Farnham FC took on Southall FC in a memorable match that united local football fans for an important cause: supporting dyslexia awareness. Held as part of Dyslexia Awareness Week 2024, the charity match successfully raised £100 for the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity, which will go on to help many more individuals with dyslexia through support, resources, and advocacy.

This year’s Dyslexia Awareness Week theme, “What’s Your Story?” resonated deeply throughout the event, drawing football fans and community members together to share stories, raise awareness, and celebrate the vital work done by Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity.

Victoria Brighton, Individual Giving Officer at Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity, expressed gratitude for the community’s support. “We’re deeply grateful to Farnham FC and all the supporters who came together to raise awareness and funds for dyslexia on the day,” she said. “Every contribution helps us continue our mission of supporting individuals with dyslexia.”

The match at Farnham FC was part of a series of events organized for Dyslexia Awareness Week (October 7-13). Other highlights included community gatherings at The Shed in Bordon and the Tes SEND Show in London. The week of activities culminated on October 13th with the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London, where six inspiring runners took on the challenge to raise essential funds for the charity.

By |2024-12-09T16:16:02+00:00October 29th, 2024|Fundraising news|Comments Off on Goals for Good: Community Spirit Shines as Farnham FC Hosts Dyslexia Awareness Week Charity Game

Case studies needed!

Author Margaret Rooke is bringing out a book to inspire secondary school students with dyslexia, to show them that life after school can be so much better.

The book will include interviews with young people who’ve left school, aged 17-26, Everyone who takes part will be able to check everything that’s written to make sure they’re happy with it.

Margaret wants to make sure there is a true diversity of contributors to the book, so that readers can relate to it well. She needs to include more young people from a wider variety of ethnic backgrounds, for instance African, Caribbean, Asian, Latin, Greek and Turkish, She also would like to include a few more who have jobs some wouldn’t view as professional or impressive, but they feel satisfied by their work.

The book will be a sister book to Dyslexia is My Superpower (Most of the Time) and Creative, Successful, Dyslexic. It will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers and available worldwide.

If you are able to help or have any questions, please do contact her on margaretrooke@btinternet.com

By |2024-06-26T12:41:45+01:00June 26th, 2024|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Case studies needed!

Farnham Charity Bike Ride

Take part in the 16th Farnham Charity Bike Ride in aid of Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity!

This exciting event is suitable for cyclists of all ages and abilities! Explore stunning countryside, discover charming villages and challenge yourself as you help Helen Arkell raise vital awareness and funds to enable us to continue to support many more people through their journey with dyslexia.

This year’s event will take place on Sunday 15th September 2024, starting on Castle Street, Farnham.

  • Children aged under 16 go FREE when accompanied by a fee-paying adult
  • Free medal for all finishers
  • Four routes to choose from: 16 miles, 25 miles, 50 miles, and 75-miles!

For the full event details and to sign up please visit their website

Contact the Helen Arkell fundraising team on 01252 792400 or fundraising@helenarkell.org.uk for fundraising support.

Please note this event is run and organised by The Hedgehogs and St. Andrews Infant School PTA.

By |2024-10-29T10:19:26+00:00June 7th, 2024|Fundraising news|Comments Off on Farnham Charity Bike Ride

Big Walk for Dyslexia 2024

We’d love you to come and join us for our Big Walk for Dyslexia on the afternoon of Sunday 12 May. As last year, we will be walking in beautiful Farnham Park – just along from the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity in West Street in the centre of Georgian Farnham. And once again, we’re absolutely thrilled to be part of the Farnham Walking Festival.

Teddy Arkell was all set to eat every crumb of cake last year and this year we are determined not to let him, so he will be on his best behaviour and there should be plenty of tea and cake for you all after the walk, back at the Centre.

Join in wherever you are!

If you can’t attend on the day, why not do a ‘virtual’ walk for us (and virtual cake munching) and tag us as you share your photos on social media?

It’s a fun family day out, with dogs very welcome, but of course, the most important bit is that it is all to raise money to help the charity support adults and children with dyslexia and to raise awareness of dyslexia and the work we do here at Helen Arkell so we would love your support.

You can find out more and register here. See you there!

By |2024-07-23T16:33:33+01:00March 26th, 2024|Fundraising news|Comments Off on Big Walk for Dyslexia 2024

Come along to our Christmas Drinks Evening

We would love to see you at our annual Christmas Drinks evening.  Come and enjoy drinks and nibbles with our friends and colleagues and have a look around the Centre.

This is our chance to catch up and to say a heartfelt thank you for the support you’ve given us over the last 12 months and, of course, to wish you well for the New Year.

Where: 24 West Street, Farnham GU9 7DR

When: Thursday, 30 November from 6 to 8 pm

Please let us know you are coming along by emailing events@helenarkell.org.uk

See you there!

 

By |2024-07-23T16:41:40+01:00November 4th, 2023|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Come along to our Christmas Drinks Evening

Community Grant from Farnham Town Council

Huge thanks to our friends at Farnham Town Council for an amazing Community Grant of £1,000.  This generous grant will help our work supporting children and adults with dyslexia in Farnham and the surrounding villages who might not otherwise be able to afford help.

Here’s our CEO Andy being presented with a suitably giant cheque by Alan Earwaker, Farnham’s Mayor and a great friend to the charity.

By |2024-07-23T16:45:01+01:00June 13th, 2023|Fundraising news|Comments Off on Community Grant from Farnham Town Council
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