The Legacy Rainbow House in Lancashire is aiming to raise £1m with the appeal, which was opened yesterday (1 April) at the charity's eighth birthday celebrations. It also wants to recruit 50,000 supporters who will donate as little as £1 per month to help it reach its target within a year.
The current economic climate, an increase in the number of children attending the centre and the need for more staff to support children with complex needs have all contributed to the charity's account deficit of £16,000.
Legacy Rainbow House receives no Government funding and relies on donations, fundraisers, sponsorships, corporate partnerships, grants and fees.
Joe Mawdsley, the founder and director of services, said, 'The closure of the centre would not only affect families of disabled children, but the centre's staff and my eldest son who is disabled, as I promised him full-time care here.'
She added, 'It's a difficult time, as backers need to trust that we are sustainable. The centre is my creation and I don't want to see it go belly-up.'
The purpose-built centre was opened in 2007 by Ms Mawdsley, whose two sons have a rare life-threatening disorder. It caters for all ages from birth to 21 years and supports disabled children to be integrated into the community and mainstream school.
Currently there are 46 children on the nursery roll, with disabled and able-bodied children playing together in the nursery, and 172 disabled children accessing the centre's facilities.
Ms Mawdsley said she hopes that the appeal, which she has sent to MPs, will also prompt the Government to 'start listening' and provide long-term solutions for disabled children.
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