Meet our incredible fundraiser Laura! Laura’s daughter Hannah attends the Sensational Learning Centre, which supports neurodivergent children and young people who face challenges in traditional mainstream education settings.
Laura says, “Hannah is absolutely thriving and a huge part of this is down to the amazing people who are working with her day-to-day here. So I decided to do something to give back to them.”
Laura set herself the challenge of running the half-marathon (part of the @edinburghmarathonfestival), saying “I’m hoping to raise some money to allow the pupils to have more exciting adventures, buy some new resources. And the exciting part – they will get to choose what the money is spent on.”
Laura completed the race on a very hot day, and absolutely smashed her initial target. Thanks to all her supporters, she has raised an absolutely amazing total of £3,384.80!
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Laura and to everyone who sponsored her and cheered her on. This phenomenal total will make a real difference for the pupils at the Sensational Learning Centre.
“Donaldsons is a very special place to my whole family,” says Laura. “It has given us the most phenomenal support over the last 18 months and we can’t wait to see what the next chapter will bring.”
In honour of #VolunteersWeek, we would like to say thank you to our Trustees and Advisory Board Members for their continuing dedication and hard work.
Our Board plays an important role, providing invaluable guidance and support to ensure the smooth operation and growth of our organisation.
We are delighted to welcome our new Trustee, Peter Freer. We look forward to working with Peter and the Board as we continue our mission to create a society in which neurodivergent people are understood, accepted, treated fairly and valued.
#Volunteers #neurodiversity
Taking part in local events is important in helping the people we support to feel part of their community and make connections, as well as helping to raise awareness of neurodiversity.
There are just two weeks to go until the Linlithgow Marches, and the young people we support are excited about taking part.
The Marches is an annual tradition in which the Deacons Court patrols the boundaries of Linlithgow, with local community celebrations including a procession through the burgh. This year, the Marches will be taking place on Tuesday 16 June.
Last month, representatives of the @deaconscourt visited our campus to talk to the young people about the Marches.
#LinlithgowMarches #neurodiversity
They talked about the history of the tradition and their individual roles, and the young people had the chance to take part in a quiz and try on some of the official dress.
People we support and colleagues across our services have been busy preparing for their part in the procession. They have been getting together for regular meetings to share ideas for the day. Their chosen theme of neurodiversity will be reflected in colourful, magical-themed outfits. This has been a great opportunity for the young people to get creative by making elements of their costumes, including tie-dye t-shirts and fairy wings.
Young people at our Vibe service have also been making signs displaying a range of neurodiversity-themed slogans.
We’re looking forward to a real celebration on the day, and we can’t wait to see the finished costumes in the procession!
At our services, we provide lots of opportunities for people to take part in creative activities. These sessions not only offer young people the chance to do something they enjoy, they also encourage self-expression, build confidence and help to improve wellbeing and reduce stress.
This spring, the young people at our Vibe service have been enjoying sessions with Matthew and Kevin from @livemusicnowscotland
Over the weeks, they worked together to write I Guess, Maybe, an original song based on a poem written by one of the young people we support.
The young people contributed lots of ideas about how they wanted the song to sound and feel, which helped to develop their confidence and self-expression, and also encouraged them to work together. They also played instruments and sang on the recording, and we’re excited to share the finished song!
Thank you again to Live Music Scotland. We’re sure you’ll agree that they have supported the young people to write a fantastic song.
Vibe supports neurodivergent young people aged 12-18 to improve wellbeing and build resilience, helping them to reengage with learning. To find out more, visit our website (link in bio).
It`s Fundraising Friday, and this week we`re saying a huge well done to our fantastic team who took on the Hairy Haggis relay at the @edinburghmarathonfestival to raise money for Donaldsons!
The team – Graeme Donald, Stephen Caulfield and Angela Evans (Donaldson Trust colleagues) and Sandy McGowan (a parent of a young person we support) – faced the additional challenge of some very hot weather as they headed to the starting line on Sunday 24 May. They showed incredible teamwork across the 26.2-mile race, and we are very proud of them.
So far, the team has raised almost £800. The money raised will benefit the Sensational Learning Centre, which supports neurodivergent children and young people who face challenges in traditional mainstream education settings. There`s still time to show your support at the link in our bio.
If the team’s effort has inspired you to take on a fundraising challenge, head to our website for our calendar of upcoming events (link in bio).
#fundraising #neurodiversity #running
We’d like to say a huge thank you to two of our amazing corporate partners who have been fundraising for The Donaldson Trust.
A team from Nexa Life Sciences and CSG Concilium Search Group got stuck in to the Tough Mudder challenge, raising a fantastic £1393.75! The total raised so far during their partnership with us is £2,385.
Our local partners from Pacitti Jones Estate Agency & Solicitors Linlithgow took on the Port of Leith Distillery Abseil, raising an incredible £1,413.70 and bringing their partnership total to £2,032.95.
Thank you to all of the team members who took part in these challenges, and to each and every person who sponsored them.
Fundraising helps us to build a more inclusive community where neurodivergent people are recognised, valued, and supported to thrive, and every penny does make a real difference.
If you are interested in fundraising for us, get in touch: getinvolved@donaldsons.org.uk
Our services take a person-centred approach, supporting people to take part in activities they enjoy while also building their confidence and giving them opportunities to develop new skills. Jamie, who is supported by our Treehouse service, loves to bake, and recently enjoyed one of his weekly baking sessions choosing to make cupcakes and a pizza to take home for dinner.
It was a really fun session, but for Jamie, it was so much more than that.
It gave him the opportunity to make decisions about what he wanted to prepare, helping to build choice-making skills and encouraging independence.
With support from Wellbeing Practitioner Mark, Jamie measured out the ingredients for the cakes and mixed everything together. This supported his learning around following instructions, sequencing tasks, measuring, and developing hand-eye coordination. While the cakes were baking, Jamie added his toppings to the pizza base, which helped him practise multitasking, planning ahead, and managing different stages of an activity. And when the cupcakes had cooled, Jamie decorated them with brightly coloured icing. This part of the session encouraged creativity, fine motor skills, and sensory engagement, while also giving Jamie the chance to express himself and take pride in the finished result.
Jamie is working towards his National 2 Social Subjects: Making a Decision, and these sessions offer great opportunities for him to develop his skills in the kitchen while having fun. Jamie was excited to take his tasty treats home to share with his family.
To find out more about how our Treehouse service supports neurodivergent young adults, visit our website – link in bio.
Is your young person leaving school this June?
If you’re unsure what comes next, you’re not alone.
When school ends, many families are left asking the same question: what happens next?
For many neurodivergent young people, leaving school can mean losing structure, routine, and support — and being left without a clear path forward.
At Gate, we understand that reality and we’re here to help.
We provide a safe, structured environment where young adults can build confidence, develop real-life skills, and begin to see a clearer path forward.
Join us at our Open Evening to see how we support young adults to build confidence, develop life skills, and move towards a future that fits them – at their pace.
You’ll meet the team, see the space, and talk through what comes next in a way that feels right for you and your young person.
📍 The Donaldson Trust, Preston Road, Linlithgow EH
📅 Thursday 18th June
⏰ 5-7pm
You don’t have to navigate this alone.
A future that fits starts with the right support.
Book your place at our Open Evening at the link in our bio.
#neurodiversity #SchoolLeavers #neurodivergence
