Fresh start and new name for award-winning Highland charity

2nd February 2021

This week will see the relaunch with a new name of an award winning charity which aims to be the "go-to" organisation for improving the lives of families in Highland.

Thriving Families is the new name for the charity formerly known as CHIP+, which was established in 1993 to provide information, advice and support to families with children with additional support needs, and the professionals who work with them.

Their aim is to be the become the "go-to" organisation for improving the lives of families living in the Highlands by giving them confidence and empowering them to know their rights, know what questions to ask and have their voices heard.

And the newly renamed charity will this week also receive an award at the Highland Third Sector Awards for its partnership work with two other organisations to develop digital resources and online support sessions for families of children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions across Highland.

Thriving Families Chief Officer Sarah Fowler said:"We are all living through an incredibly difficult time and charities like ours have never been more needed. We were determined to create something positive this year and felt that a new name that better reflects what we do every day would help us to reach more people.

We are so proud to be part of the third sector in Highland, we love what we do and we will continue to be that warm hug (albeit virtual just now) for the people who need it most."

Gillian Newman, a long time Trustee of the charity said:“Thriving Families is a new, efficient, equitable and empowering way of working with children and families by our well-loved, supportive and knowledgeable staff. I am delighted to see this new way forward.”

Chair of the Thriving Families Board Ann Darlington said:“I couldn't be more proud of the work done by CHIP+ over the last 28 years, and it is really exciting to be launching the charity into a new era as Thriving Families. I know that our brilliant team will build on past successes, rise to new challenges and reach out across the Highlands to offer support that will improve the lives of families.”

https://www.chipplus.org.uk/