Brickendon Grange Captains, Phil Burrows and Vanessa Dekker, are adopting a slightly different fundraising strategy this year. They are delighted to announce that they will be supporting a local charity called CHIPS (Childrens’ Integrated Play Schemes) during their Captaincy Year.
As well as raising money for CHIPS, principally at the traditional annual Charity Day (scheduled for June 2025), the Captains will be holding a number of additional fundraising events aimed specifically at financing a new bridge on the 9th hole.
CHIPS operates in East Hertfordshire and provides play schemes to children aged 3 to 19 with additional needs, plus their siblings. They support over 235 local families and 312 children every week. They hope you agree it’s a very worthwhile cause.
CHIPS is a charity in Hertfordshire which started as a pilot project by Herts County Council in 1994, with a small summer playscheme in Hertford for 20 children with additional needs and their siblings. It aimed to offer good fun for the young people, and a break for their parents.
The pilot project was developed by a group of parents including Davina Foster, Julia Everett, Judy Saint and Gill Weeks working with far sighted Social Workers including Ann Sypula. The team hit upon the idea of a specialist scheme which would include siblings too, and CHIPS was born. The first playleader, Shirley Roper developed the ethos of child led play, which continues to this day at all our schemes.
- In 1996, due to increased demand and popularity, CHIPS was established in both Ware and Bishops Stortford.
- In 1998 the scheme had grown so we split from social services and become independent. During that year CHIPS also became a charity.
- In 2007 CHIPS launched the first scheme in neighbouring Broxbourne.
CHIPS now offer crucial support to over 235 families, of which there are some 300 children with additional needs and their siblings and covers the East Herts District Council and Broxbourne areas. CHIPS has built a reputation throughout the county and beyond as being the first scheme of its kind to offer this type of service. www.chipsplay.org
