Reach Learning Disability, which has bases in Mansfield, Southwell and Newark, is again taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, the national matched-funding campaign that enables people to have their donations to the charity doubled.

Reach is appealing for funds for its ‘Money Matters’ project to help people with learning disabilities to gain the skills and knowledge they need to live well on a budget. It is also supporting family carers who are struggling with the extra stress of increased costs.

Reach has already seen how teaching basic numeracy skills can benefit their clients, as their Flower Pod Southwell centre has been running a Numbers in Everyday Life course. Many Reach clients struggle with numeracy and this affects their daily activities, and makes them more vulnerable to exploitation.

Harvey, who attended the course at Flower Pod, is an outgoing and chatty young man, but this masks a lack of basic numeracy and literacy, so Reach was delighted when he joined the course. Tutor Samantha Dakin said: “Harvey surpassed all my expectations. He was soon counting, writing, matching numbers, and telling the time. To the surprise of his mother, he even recognised the time on their clock at home.”

Harvey said: “Learning about numbers was quite hard. I remember telling the time and drawing the hands on clocks. I love coming to Flower Pod and talking to people about sport, trains and beer. My favourite job is watering. I’ve learned how to look after tomato plants and now I have some at home.”

The appeal takes place between 29th November and 6th December. To donate to Reach’s Big Give Christmas Challenge appeal, go to www.reachuk.org between midday Tuesday 29th November and midday Tuesday 6th December , or get in touch with [email protected] for an email reminder nearer the time.