A charity from Watford has launched an appeal to help them secure funding to start a new playgroup.

Playskill runs specialist playgroups for pre-school children with physical disability or developmental delay, with support for parents and the whole family.

They are bidding for a £25,000 community award from the OneFamily Foundation - which was set up to redistribute some of the profits of the OneFamily financial mutual to help members, their families and communities.

The charity, which currently runs four groups a week in Watford and Hemel Hempstead helping 32 children with disability each term, would use the funding to cover the running costs of a new group for a year.

For over a decade the charity has been helping children with physical disabilities in and around Hertfordshire to gain skills for life.

Groups are held weekly at the Lemarie Centre on St Albans Road in Watford, and at Woodfield School in Malmes Croft, Hemel Hempstead.

Nisha Soni’s son Kush was born with Down’s Syndrome and suffers from epilepsy. Kush attends a weekly session at Playskill, where he receives expert support from a paediatric physiotherapist, an occupational therapist and speech and language therapist.

“Being the parent of a child with special needs is hard, it's relentless at times and it can be very lonely,” Mrs Soni said.

“Having access to what Playskill offer is invaluable to me and my family. Kush loves it and it's amazing to see the changes in him. I’m so grateful to Playskill for the support system it has allowed me to be a part of, and most of all the opportunities it has given our son.”

The winning projects will be those that secure the most votes.

Andrea Clarke, Playskill's founder, said “We now have the longest list of children waiting for a place at Playskill, and we know each child represents a family that is worrying about that child.

"With the input Playskill can bring each child can achieve tremendous progress, and the family can be equipped with support and the skills to change this young child’s life.

"We want to start making a difference as soon as possible.”

Voting is open now and closes July 20. To vote for Playskill visit: www.foundation.onefamily.com/projects/playskill