Hi, my name is Frankie and I've decided to start raising money to go towards Tourette's syndrome awareness. There are very few charities around the Kent area to help young children and teens with the condition. I wasn't diagnosed until last year, considering suffering for years until I was able to get my diagnosis privately. Unfortunately a lot of people do not have the affordability to do this. Some also aren't able to purchase items that can help their condition such as "chewies" and fidget spinners etc. I wanted to raise money to not only put towards helping people with these things but also to raise money for them and their families to be able to join in with getaways and activities such as *ticfest*. This is usually run by the tourette's action group which includes weekends away filled with activities for kids and adults, usually within nature which is a natural stress relief. It gives people the chance to meet and make friends with other families living with the condition. It enables people to share coping mechanisms, to not be judged and to be themselves. However, these trips are not always accessible for people that do not have the funds to pay for the trip or journey to get there. I wish groups were available like this when I was younger as I feel it would have benefited me greatly. So that's why I am reaching out to attempt to make a difference for the younger generation. To make people more aware of the condition and to show that we/they are not alone. If anyone has seen the spectacular movie 'i swear' based on the amazing story of John Davidson MBE, then you can see just how difficult living with the condition is. Private diagnosis' are over £1000 and that's definitely not cheap or easy to find! If you can help or just share to get this fundraiser going then it will greatly help and be deeply appreciated.

The funding will go towards-

Private diagnosis'

Lanyards

Cards

Merchandise (clothing, badges, hats)

Chewies

Sensory items

Hiring of halls for groups

Funding for travel

'ticfest' fees

Books for kids and adults

Flyers to spread awareness

Speeches in schools

Activity days

And many more ideas to come!

I am currently working on many ideas to help the fundraiser and to spread awareness such as:

Creating a Kent support group

Fundraising events

Merchandise

Reaching out to talk shows

Sponsorships

Flyers/stickers

Supplying my own brand of silicone chewies

Creating a website dedicated to the charity

Along with multiple media accounts to keep everyone updated.