Smith Family Story – Serving Ex Gratia Grant

Lilys mum is a Serving Officer in Nottinghamshire Police. On hearing about the ‘Grants for All’ they applied for the Ex Gratia grant to help support Lily with the extra pressures of living with Cerebral Palsy.

Here Lily tells us in her own words how the Charity has helped her.

“Hello, my name is Lily Smith. I’m currently studying History, English Literature, and Politics for my A-levels.

I was born with cerebral palsy, which primarily affects my legs, so I use a wheelchair. My hands and fingers are also affected, so from an early age, I used a computer or laptop to help speed up my work and reduce strain on my fingers.

My family applied to The Police Children’s Charity to see if they could offer support.

When we received the donation to go towards a new laptop from The Police Children’s Charity, it was honestly life-changing for my studies. Before that, I had been relying on the school’s laptops, which, to put it bluntly, were awful. They were slow, constantly freezing, and would randomly shut down at the worst moments—usually when I was in the middle of writing an important essay. Trying to research, take notes, and complete coursework on those machines was frustrating and, at times, overwhelming.

Having my own laptop has made such a difference to my A-Level studies. I no longer have to worry about whether the device will work properly when I need it most. It’s fast, reliable, and allows me to work efficiently from anywhere, whether that’s at home, in the library, or even at a café when I need a change of scenery. I can now organise my notes properly, access research materials quickly, and use all the software I need without any issues.

Looking ahead to university, this laptop is going to be invaluable. I’ll be studying history, which means a lot of reading, research, and essay writing. Having a dependable device will allow me to access online archives, write and edit essays smoothly, and keep up with lectures and assignments without stress. I can also use it for things like video calls with tutors, joining online study groups, and accessing university resources that would have been a struggle on the old school computers.

I’m incredibly grateful for this support. It’s not just a laptop—it’s a tool that’s helping me achieve my academic goals and setting me up for success at university.

Thank you so much to The Police Children’s Charity for making such a huge difference in my education and future.”