Wilberforce Trust

10/03/2026

We have an Easter Egg donation stall at York College this Thursday, the 12th March ready for students, staff and family to donate chocolates and non- edible Easter treats ahead of Club Wilber's event.

Our accessible Easter Egg Hunt is on Saturday 28th March and is open to families with a child with a visual impairment, from across Yorkshire. You do not need to be a current member of Club Wilber to attend, so its the perfect opportunity to see what its all about!

If you can donate an Easter Egg or treat for our hunt please drop them off at York College between 11.30-1.30 on Thursday. If you miss the stall you can still donate at Wilberforce House reception Mondays to Fridays. We're located just around the corner from York College!

09/03/2026

Last week our Volunteer Coordinator, Emily, joined with lots of other charities and organisations at York CVS Volunteer Fair.

The event was really well attended by a mix of people, looking for new opportunities and to learn a little bit more about what is on offer in the city and surrounding area.

There are lots of different volunteering opportunities available with us this year, so get in touch with Emily for more information and about the volunteer training process.

volunteering@wilberforcetrust.org.uk 01904 760037

07/03/2026

At Weston's Cafe we proudly serve handcrafted, barista coffee alongside our homemade cakes, tray bakes and scones.

We're back open on Monday, 10am-3pm, so why not pop along and give us a try.

We're based at Wilberforce House, The Grove (off Tadcaster Road) York.

06/03/2026

A couple of weeks ago the 2026 National Cycling Championships was held at the iconic Manchester Velodrome, the home of British track cycling. We’re incredibly proud that our Head of Compliance, Governance & Quality, Lindsey, was part of the events team supporting this major national sporting event

The event showcased outstanding talent across sprint, endurance, and fully integrated para‑cycling competitions, making it a truly inclusive celebration of the sport. Of course our Club Wilber mascot, Wilber, went along for the ride too, joining in the fun, bringing plenty of smiles to the day!

It was a brilliant celebration of athleticism, community, and accessibility.

05/03/2026

You might have seen our video, just posted this lunchtime, with Club Wilber's Megan talking about how to make storytime more accessible for a child with a visual impairment... Megan also mentions the brilliant Living Paintings and this is a resource we love to hire for our events, and you can to!

05/03/2026

Welcome to the first ‘How To’ with Club Wilber’s Megan… just in time for

How to make story time more accessible and sensory for a child with a visual impairment.



(VD- Megan, a young white woman with long curly blonde hair, sits on a wooden bench in a sensory garden with a pile of books and a sensory bag)

04/03/2026

Do you want to get an idea of what Club Wilber is all about?! Why not join our Easter Egg Hunt?!

Our annual, accessible Easter Egg Hunt is the event that launched Club Wilber back in 2019. What makes this event so unique is the use of specially adapted eggs with a sound mechanism inside so they can be found by using hearing rather than sight! Tasty treats are hidden along the way, in baskets and hay, on little picnic mat stations. At the end of the course the children get to exchange their beeping eggs for a chocolate one, and sighted siblings can join in the fun by wearing an eye mask. There are also non- edible prizes for those who need them.

The egg hunt is one of the biggest on our Club Wilber calendar and has always been hugely popular. On its first year, the event won the Silver Award in the Charity Event category at the Minster FM People’s Choice Awards. Each year we are delighted to be able to host in the grounds of our beautiful Head Office, Wilberforce House, with activities on indoor and out all day.

For the Club Wilber families the egg hunt isn’t just a chance for a chocolate haul, but also an opportunity to socialise and spend time with people that share experiences. Weston’s Café is open all day, giving everyone the chance to enjoy hot drinks and food. The hunt is also the perfect opportunity to try out a Club Wilber activity as its open to any family in Yorkshire with a child with a visual impairment, not just those already signed up.

Club Wilber provides a supportive environment and an opportunity to get together for families in Yorkshire who have a child or young person aged 0-25 with a visual impairment, including those with other disabilities. Our activities and events are designed for the whole family to enjoy together, and offer a chance to spend time with people that can share your experiences and gain support and advice.

Id you would like to join us on Saturday 28th March contact us on 01904 760036 or clubwilber@wilberforcetrust.org.uk

03/03/2026

Today is World Hearing Day, and the theme for this year is 'From Communities to Classrooms; hearing care for all children.'

The focus is on childhood, as school-age children with hearing loss often remain undiagnosed and without access to needed services. Hearing loss affects around 90 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 years, across all parts of the world. Early identification and care are crucial to prevent long-term impacts on development, education, and future opportunities.

However its not just early detection and diagnosis in childhood hearing loss that's important, as in adulthood people who develop hearing problems between 40 and 65 may have an increased risk of developing dementia. Early detection is vital to enable the correct support moving forwards.

The YorSensory team are available for home assessments and advice for anybody living with hearing loss.

Globally, school-age children with hearing loss often remain undiagnosed and without access to needed services (World report on hearing, 2021). Hearing loss affects around 90 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 years, across all parts of the world (Global burden of disease study, 2021). Howe...

02/03/2026

Following the success of 2025's events for the care, support and housing teams at various Local Authorities, last week we held our first of 2026.

These information events are designed to provide an insight to the attendees into the many sides of the trust, with a focus on the care and supported living services. A number of our guests have worked alongside us for many years but by opening our doors in this way it introduces them to the other services we offer that may apply to the people they support. It also works as a welcome to those that haven’t worked with us before and offers a full, whistle stop tour of the trust for everyone.

After a welcome coffee and breakfast sandwich from our on-site cafe, Weston's, the attendees were taken on a tour of Wilberforce House by Head of Housing, Estates and Facilities, Jordan Floyd. The group also heard talks from Sensory Business and Activities Manager, Lauren Talbot, about our YorSensory services, Sensory Awareness Training and volunteering and Activities and Events Coordinator, Megan Horner, introduced them to Club Wilber.

The event was organised by Head of Commissioning and Partnerships, Andrew Boast, who finished off the morning with a presentation about our care services, before taking questions with our CEO Ellie Hudson.

Each time an event like this is held it introduces our services and facilities to more people, and it also strengthens communications and collaborations with our existing partners. If you would be interested to know when our next event is, please get in touch.

28/02/2026

On Thursday 12th March our Club Wilber Coordinator, Megan, will be in collecting Easter chocolates and toys for our annual, accessible Easter Egg Hunt.

Students and staff can drop a donation off with Megan between 11.30 and 1.30 that day!

If you would like to donate and you aren't at college that day feel free to drop your donation off at Wilberforce Trust reception, we're just around the corner from the college.