CELEBRATING CLARE’S DAY

The Impact of Clare Milne Trust Funding at Friends & Families

This Friday, 17th July, we're joining charities across Devon and Cornwall to mark Clare's Day — a celebration of Clare Milne and the remarkable legacy she left behind.

Clare Milne was the granddaughter of A.A. Milne, creator of Winnie the Pooh. Living with cerebral palsy didn't dim her love of life or people — those who knew her describe someone full of warmth, humour and vivacity. In 1998, Clare received funds from her grandfather's estate, and she and her mother Lesley made a decision that still shapes lives today: to use that money to help people with disabilities. The Clare Milne Trust was established in 1999, and has been awarding grants to charities across the region since 2002.

Friends & Families is proud to be one of those charities.

In June 2025, we received £15,000 in core funding from The Clare Milne Trust, supporting the heart of what we do: our activity groups, bookable sessions in our sensory room, loans of specialist equipment from our lending library, and information sessions and workshops that give parents and carers practical, emotional and financial advice.

This funding directly helped 170 disabled children and young people, plus 20 young carers, across 51 sessions — 33 of them brand new to our services

• It formed part of a wider year of support reaching 527 people across 365 sessions, with over 1,400 attendances in total

• In surveys of the families we support: 99% told us our services met their child's needs, 95% said we'd helped reduce feelings of isolation, and 95% said we'd helped improve their mental health

"Friends & Families have been a lifeline for our family… The team are all absolutely fantastic and they really have had such a positive impact on our lives over the years."

"My daughter felt like she was alone, caring for a sibling with additional needs, but finding other children who are the same, she no longer feels like she is alone."

"My daughter played with another child for the first time."

Clare's mother Lesley once said her dream was to know her daughter would be remembered for something that brings happiness where it's needed most. Every family above is part of that legacy.

Thank you, Clare Milne Trust — and happy Clare's Day.