Sunshine and Smiles - Leeds Down Syndrome Network

Sunshine and Smiles - Leeds Down Syndrome Network Sunshine and Smiles is a support network for families in Leeds with a child or young person with Down Syndrome.

All of our group sessions run at Stainbeck Community Hall, 162 Stainbeck Lane, Leeds, LS7 2EA. We have fortnightly Monday groups for children aged 0-3 years and their parents or carers. We have fortnightly Wednesday groups for children aged 3-5 years and their parents or carers. We have monthly Saturday family groups - everyone is welcome to these sessions. We also run Speech and Language groups every month. Please email or phone or text for more details and the date of our next group : [email protected] or 07902 054355

☀️Welcome to our newsletter for the week commencing 5th October 2026. ☀️🔗You can read the newsletter here: https://ow.ly...
05/10/2026

☀️Welcome to our newsletter for the week commencing 5th October 2026. ☀️

🔗You can read the newsletter here: https://ow.ly/TLQS50ZUqgp

This week we have:
🤝Individual Support Sessions
☀️Sunbeams (Ages 0-4)
🟡Caitlin's Yellow Speech and Language Groups
🐝Early Development Group - Busy Bees
🐛Early Development Group - Caterpillars
🧘‍♂️Online Yoga for 16+
🧘Yoga for Sunflowers (Ages 2-8)
💦Family swim at Bramley Baths
⚽Football for All Ages (4-11 & 12-20's)

There's news of exciting opportunities coming up - An Art Making afternoon, a Mentorship opportunity and a Dance Masterclass. We'd also still really appreciate some help with fundraising, donating items or your time to help us get Acclaim House ready. 🏠 The fundraising choir event is this week and we're looking for more footballers to join our Sunday sessions. And don't forget to send any photos you'd like to share for Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

As always, we are available by telephone and email for advice, support and signposting – please don’t hesitate to get in touch at any time.

📱Weekday: 0113 3234626
📱Weekend: 07472 320168
📧Email: [email protected]

Thank you so much to Darren, Harry and Gavin from HR Fire & Safety who very generously came and carried out our fire sur...
03/10/2026

Thank you so much to Darren, Harry and Gavin from HR Fire & Safety who very generously came and carried out our fire survey and installed fire extinguishers at Acclaim House. 🧯

Knowing our premises are safe and fully equipped is vital to our charity and we really are so appreciative of your help. And what a great service! ✨ We're so lucky to have such an amazing community supporting us. 🙏☀️

St Andrew's Roundhay is very kindly holding a fundraising event in the Clocktower Community Café this month:🗓️ 14th Octo...
02/10/2026

St Andrew's Roundhay is very kindly holding a fundraising event in the Clocktower Community Café this month:

🗓️ 14th October
🕙 10am - 1pm

We're so grateful for their support and any money raised will go a long way to helping us get settled into our new home in central Leeds 🏡 and continue to provide activities, groups and educational sessions for our children, young people and families across Leeds. ☀️😀

📣Please share and spread the word!

A big shout out to Danny & Craig from LSE Electrical Services who came and removed all of the "tentacles" from the floor...
02/10/2026

A big shout out to Danny & Craig from LSE Electrical Services who came and removed all of the "tentacles" from the floors in the offices for us! 🐙 That's what we'd named the miles of cables sticking out from the floors when we moved into Acclaim House! They were everywhere, from the banks of desks that were previously in the space. It's now a big, clear, trip-hazzard free space where we hold our Saturday activities and also the room where we're now setting up office for our team!

🙏Thank you both so much for doing such a speedy and brilliant job for us, we really appreciate it. ☀️😊

A big thank you to the wonderful team Hedonist Creative Brand Agency 💛Last week they generously provided a van , helping...
01/10/2026

A big thank you to the wonderful team Hedonist Creative Brand Agency 💛

Last week they generously provided a van , helping hands and plenty of muscle to help us move furniture and other bits and pieces from Stainbeck into our new home at Acclaim House. 🏠💪

Your kindness and continued support of Sunshine and Smiles means so much to us. 💛

We're incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped us get moved in and settled and there are lots of people we can't wait to thank! 🙏

What's happening next for SEND services in Leeds?❗Parent carers are invited to an important event to hear about the chan...
01/10/2026

What's happening next for SEND services in Leeds?

❗Parent carers are invited to an important event to hear about the changes taking place across the SEND system in Leeds.

The event will cover:

- SEND Reform
- The recent Ofsted inspection
- The Priority Action Plan
- Work underway to improve SEND services
- Opportunities for parent carers to get involved

💬 It's a great opportunity to hear updates, ask questions and have your say!

All SEND parent carers are welcome to attend. 👉 Registration is required -
https://surveys.leeds.gov.uk/s/PCFEvent15Oct/

📅 Thursday 15 October 2026
🕙 10am–12.30pm
📍 Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawsons Corner, Stanningley, LS28 5TA

We'd really encourage you to consider attending. Your experiences, questions and views are important in shaping future SEND services.

Please share this with other Leeds parent carers who may find it useful. 💛

Down Syndrome Awareness month begins today! 🎉It’s a month for celebrating individuality, focusing on what every person w...
01/10/2026

Down Syndrome Awareness month begins today! 🎉

It’s a month for celebrating individuality, focusing on what every person with Down syndrome deserves to be, what they aspire to and what they and their families are proud of. ✨

We will be celebrating the people, passions, achievements and individuality within our own Down syndrome community and throughout the month we will be sharing photos of our amazing children and young people and showing what they and their families are most proud of. ☀️😊

DSUK - Positive About Down Syndrome is also raising awareness, creating space for fairness, equality, and respect, encouraging everyone to join them in embracing and celebrating differences in a positive and meaningful way. You can find social media frames, various templates and information, as well as resources to share with your school on their website (look out for our very own Grace on the school poster! 👀)

Help us spread awareness and celebrate our achievements! 📣 Send us your photos!📸

Look at this little superstar! 🤩 🦸🏼Oliver came to Acclaim House with his Mum yesterday, to help us build some new office...
30/09/2026

Look at this little superstar! 🤩 🦸🏼

Oliver came to Acclaim House with his Mum yesterday, to help us build some new office chairs for our team. 💪🏼

He quickly got stuck in, showing great skills and independence. Thank you so much Oliver! Our team now has something to sit on! 🪑

A huge thank you to our lovely Katie, who has done an amazing thing for 2 charities close to her heart - the RSPCA and S...
29/09/2026

A huge thank you to our lovely Katie, who has done an amazing thing for 2 charities close to her heart - the RSPCA and Sunshine and Smiles! 💛

Katie has been with us a long time, working at both Café 21 at Hollybush and in Headingley. And, after she left her final shift at Café 21 on Friday, she headed off to the salon and had (most of) her hair shaved off! 🪒

We think you rock your new look Katie! 🤟 and thank you so much for everything you have raised. You can still help Katie reach her target here: https://ow.ly/cS8650ZSA6q

A huge thank you and congratulations to Kevin Harley-Roberts, who has smashed his £750 target by taking on a solo advent...
29/09/2026

A huge thank you and congratulations to Kevin Harley-Roberts, who has smashed his £750 target by taking on a solo adventure this weekend and completing “The Land Between” challenge. 🎉🚵‍♀️

Kevin was unable to participate in the official event a few weeks ago, so went it alone this weekend - cycling a total of 539.16km, 8,041m elevation gain in just over 32 hours!

The Land Between is an ultra-distance bikepacking event, between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. The route covers remote landscapes, farmtracks, bridleways, wooded single tracks, and urban settings — and a 300m ride through a tunnel 40ft beneath the River Tyne!

We hope the legs have recovered and you're enjoying a well-earned rest and refuelling after all those miles and calories burned. 💛 What an amazing achievement, thank you so much for raising vital funds for Sunshine and Smiles. There’s still time to donate here: https://ow.ly/aFXP50ZSzqO

Address

Sunshine And Smiles/Level One, Acclaim House, Central Park, New Lane
Leeds
LS115EF

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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