Thanks to a £4,905 grant from the Foundation, Coventry’s Ladybug Lodge is transforming playtime for SEND families with 26 new ‘Stay and Play’ sessions.
Ladybug Lodge is a new Coventry-based charity dedicated to supporting children and young people with special needs, along with their families. They strive to relieve the needs of children and young adults with special education needs or disabilities by providing accessible activities, events and recreational opportunities.
Ladybug Lodge was founded by Josie Wheel. Josie’s younger sister, Rosie, has PMLD and growing up they were excluded from play due to the lack of inclusive spaces for children with special needs. Josie founded Ladybug Lodge with the mission to make Coventry a place where SEN children have the opportunity to access accessible play with their families.
With their grant from the Dulverton Trust Fund, Ladybug Lodge have launched their weekend ‘Stay and Play’ sessions for families to access messy play, soft play and sensory play in a safe and accessible environment. As the only organisation in Coventry offering weekend Stay and Play SEND sessions, it is an understatement to say that Ladybug Lodge has become a vital cornerstone of their community. Since January 2025, they have provided five sessions and supported 41 unique families to access and enjoy activities together.
A family member attending the sessions said:
“These sessions are invaluable. We have nowhere else to go on a Saturday that is truly accessible, safe and enjoyable for our children”.
Josie Wheel said:
“In just five sessions we have seen friendships created, an increase in parent peer relationships and growing confidence across all children and young people! They all especially love messy activities, soft play and baking. Thank you for the support!”
For more information about Ladybug Lodge, click here.