Busy Buttons is a volunteer led registered charity, inclusively offering a wide range of creative skill based programmes and community engagement events in Windsor.
A big part of our activities involves working inclusively with children, young people and adults with special educational needs, behavioural issues, anxiety, and isolation, using creative arts to improve wellbeing. We are committed to helping people find their unique potential, irrespective of behaviour, age, ability, gender, or race. We make the arts accessible to everyone as a means of improving health, enhancing wellbeing and realising potential through active participation. We work at the heart of our community to transform lives through creativity and expression. We are Ofsted registered and a directly licensed Duke of Edinburgh Award and Arts Award Centre.
Our story in numbers
Why we need your help
A growing need
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Our many creative projects such as The Platinum Orb, The little GREAT Exhibition and creative community engagement programmes for young people and local school children had over 20,000 participants over the last 10 years in Windsor. Since coming out of Covid there has also been a growing demand of the services we offer young people and adults struggling with mental health, isolation, and anxiety as well as children finding it challenging to attend school.
45% of the children we support are registered with CAMHS or have clinically diagnosed special education needs.
85% of the children attending our alternative/transitional provision have returned to or resumed school.
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“I’m a lot more comfortable with everyone now and I can be myself around them because when I started, I didn’t think I could be myself but now I can. I have learnt how to do more things as in I’ve learnt maths and people, socialise a bit more.”
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All our programmes are free for families on low income, despite the fact that we currently receive NO financial support from RBWM. We rely on charitable grants and support from the public to run our activities.
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Our 100% volunteered led and run charity has struggled to meet the demand, with referrals from CAMHS, other NHS departments, Social Services(RBWM), Adoption Services, Domestic Abuse charities and schools.
Move of premises
As you might be aware Windsor Yards is due to be redeveloped. Busy Buttons Design Studio along with the old Fenwick building, is proposed to be redeveloped to a mixed use area comprising almost 60,000 ft2 net of office space over five floors and a hotel.
This meant that we had to find a new home for the charity to welcome the community and more concerning the groups of young people facing anxiety and other barriers. It was vital that we find a new premises, even if that meant a temporary space to offer our most vulnerable young people and adults continuity and a safe space.
Many of our young people has told us that the Design Studio is their safe place.
“Busy Buttons provides the space for us to continue the meeting every Friday. They are giving a private place for us to share our happiness and unhappiness. I am looking forward to attend every meeting. I would like to say a big thank you for Busy Buttons provides a safe, welcome and kind atmosphere for us to stay positive. Thank you for your kindness!” - Creative Calm NHS referral
“My name is A****, I have autism which makes life more difficult for me including school but every Wednesday I go to Busy Buttons who help me just like school but in a different way that helps me I’m not rush in my work and gets lots of support and help if I’m struggling as well as different ways to remember things. There is only a small group of us and I like this as to much noise upsets me. I love going to Busy Buttons to learn new things and wish I could do it everyday. Busy Buttons has thought me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. So you can see that Busy Buttons is very important and need to stay so they can support more children like me so please don’t close them down. Thank you." - from A****, 10 years
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We have since then found a place at St Agnes Church on St Leonards Road in Windsor thanks to the church. Our volunteers work night and day non-stop to manage this herculean task of moving the charity with all its equipment and resources including priceless artwork to the church. All this without cancelling any sessions so not to disrupt the learning journey of any children. The support from the local community, with volunteers of all ages and organisations like Windsor Castle and Eton College really gave us strength and helped us get through this very trying period. Since then we welcomed the children to the new premises and they have endeavoured to make it their new safe place creating new fun memories along their creative learning journey.
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We are however raising funds to continue supporting the children to meet their various needs with learning resources, professional staff, educational visits, running costs and most of all a permanent home to grow this very vital project to help nurture many more so please help make a difference.
Need to grow...
Join us to create the vision
It has been clear for some time that the charity needs a permanent home to grow and to meet the increased demand.
Hence we have launched the
We need your help to raise funds to bring to life an exciting new vision of what Busy Buttons can grow and continue to meet the increasing needs of young people and adults in our community.
And in doing so the charity aims to have a space that facilitates for......
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A skills based workshop for learning traditional arts, crafts and engineering courses.
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An alternative provision for children facing barriers in school due to SEN and ERSA
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A DofE centre for young people to achieve all their sections including Skills & Volunteering.
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Safe ‘screen free’ hub for young people.
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Work experience and Apprenticeships for 16-25 year olds in particularly those facing barriers due to SEN or anxiety.
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Regular Creative Calm sessions for adults facing anxiety and mental health problems.
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A community space with open access to art activities and community engagement programmes without disrupting regular class and sessions.
Please donate to help us realise this vision together. Every contribution will help give hope to our young people and the community.
Or contact us on community@busybuttons.org
to offer any other form of assistance.
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We really appreciate you taking the time and would love to hear from you.
Thank You
Let’s Work Together
Registered Address:
Busy Buttons CORE charity
Studio 62, 24-28 St Leonards Road,
Windsor , Berkshire SL4 3BB
Email: community@busybuttons.org
Tel: +44 (0) 7952 418 212