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On a mission to increase representation & inclusion around disability for everybody.
Welcome to Buttons & Bubbles CIC
We are a Community Interest Company for children, families and organisations with disability and illness. creating resources and services dedicated too bringing;
Awareness,
Education,
Representation
Inclusion
Welcome to Buttons & Bubbles
Find out how Buttons & Bubbles began
Our founder and executive director Lottie was born with a disability and has complex health needs. Having worked with children and young people with disabilities and serious illness for most of her career she wanted to channel her experience and passion into something creative and unique. Having spotted a gap in the market, where there seemed to be a distinct lack of inclusive and diverse characters and toys Buttons & Bubbles began.
We've developed 11 original characters plus an imaginative world 'Bubble World.' where they all live. All of our characters depict different disabilities and illnesses, minus the labels and we've based our resources and services around them. We think it's about time there was a brand for disabled children and their families that represent and reflect them.
We are proud to provide fun and exciting services and resources. Including stickers, colouring books, snap cards, imagination workshops and much more. We work directly with clients and organisations, making each relationship and services accessed unique and tailored.
Our aim is to be a truly inclusive company with a positive attitude towards disability and illness. We strive to be accountable and provide inclusive services both in terms of the needs of our community and who our services and resources are aimed at. Including making sure siblings and young carers have equal access to our materials. We pride ourselves on always looking for opportunities to develop our resources.
What do we offer?
We have many services and products available at Buttons & Bubbles from positive saying cards, stickers to interactive imagination workshops and more. Click the button below to find out more.
Mission Statement
To inspire, nurture and accelerate representation and inclusion in the disability community and mainstream market for children, young people, vulnerable adults and their families with disabilities and serious illnesses.
About Buttons & Bubbles
Our Aims
- To give every child the opportunity to build their own inclusive imaginative world. We believe everybody, no matter who you are has the right to have access to toys & resources where they ‘see’ themselves reflected back.
- Educate everybody about illness and disability using our products. Although our resources are predominantly aimed at children and young people with disability and serious illness, we want our resources to be used by everyone. So that discussions and conversation around disability and illness particularly in childhood can be generated.
- To demonstrate the uniqueness of people. Our differences enhance us and should be celebrated. Nobody is born the same, even when given the same name (‘label’) for a disability or illness. Everyone is affected differently and our uniqueness is what makes us who we are. We want children, young people and families to know that’s ok and celebrate it.
Our Values
- Dignity. We believe that it is important to portray disability and illness in a realistic way. However this should not be at the cost of a child, young person's or adults dignity. We will not use photos, drawings or any marketing materials that portray ‘suffering’ or distress.
- Inclusion. We want every family to feel they are represented in the products and resources we create and produce. We shall strive to design products that mean children and young person with disability and illness are able to use our products no matter how they're disability or illness affects them.
- Compassion & Kindness. We believe that there needs to be more compassion and kindness in the world. Particularly towards families who live with disability and serious illness. Everyone no matter their age or circumstances, deserves to be listened to, to be heard, to be validated.
- Individuality & Innovation. We celebrate everything that is unique about people and we want to encourage this right the way through our company. Everybody has value and something to offer, with ideas worth exploring. We encourage the belief that not everybody ‘fits in a box’ and encourage innovative thinkers to promote and encourage true diversity.
Check out our short term goals
- Provide free resource packs to every children's hospice and children's hospital ward in England and Wales. When funding allows.
- To make and provide a wide range of learning and educational materials for families, schools and professionals.
- To establish a podcast to discuss issues that affect the disability community. Increase awareness, representation and inclusion. Giving the community a platform to sensitively discuss some bigger and more complex issues.
Our Future Goals
- Establish a work scheme that offers young people and adults with physical and learning disabilities and serious illness the chance to get work experience. And further their valuable skill sets in the workplace.
- Give every child, sibling and family with a physical, learning disability or serious illness in the UK a pack of our resources.
- To have a range of toys on the mainstream market stocked by all of the major toy stores.
- To have a range of sensory toys available in the mainstream market and stocked by all of the major toy stores and specialist sensory toy suppliers.
Buttons & Bubbles Development
What does the future look like at Buttons & Bubbles?
At Buttons & Bubbles it is our belief that every child and family deserves to see themselves reflected and represented. We know disability and serious illness affects every race, culture and religion.
We want to develop future characters who will reflect this. So that in time we have characters that reflect everyone from everywhere.
We are blowing a big bubble of inclusiveness around children and young people with illness and disability and we need your help to make sure it doesn’t pop. Join us today and help give the world a few more bubbles.
Our Services
Interactive Imagination Workshops
Come on a journey to a magical world and explore a fun filled land full of wonder, love, pure awesomeness. and the occasional bubble. This is Bubble World!
Meet all of our characters and explore Bubble World with our interactive props. Create your own Bubble World, hear stories and do a range of activities including; (Please note list is an example not the full list)
- Foam bubble paint
- Sensory character buckets
- Rainbow coloured popcorn
- Character treasure hunt
- Fizzy flour paint
- Bubble wrap paint rainbow
- Sounds and smells of Bubble World
We even do a workshop where you get the chance to create your own character.
Our workshops travel to where you are whether you are a school charity or company. We tailor each one to your needs so get in touch today to discuss your group. To contact us email hello@buttonsandbubbles.co.uk
Resources
Here at Buttons & Bubbles we are aiming to have a range of products featuring our characters. Check out what we currently offer;
- Stickers
- Colouring books
- Positive saying packs
- Snap cards
- Character cards
- Positive manifestation character packs
- Free downloadable resources on our Website
For questions about our toys and resources please email hello@buttonsandbubbles.co.uk
Advocacy Work
We are passionate about advocating for the rights of families with disabled children and disabled people. We believe in a fair and inclusive world for everyone.
But right now families effected by illness and disability face a struggle each and every day to get the basics.
Some of the topics we have campaigned on are;
- PIP Welfare reforms
- Outdated and discriminatory views on SEN and education
- Carers allowance
- Workplace discrimination
- The downgrading of the Minister for Disabled People to an Undersecretary.
We would love to hear from you and your experience. So please get in touch today via social media or email hello@buttonsandbubbles.co.uk
Public Speaking
Our founder and director Lottie is available for public speaking engagements. She has lived with disability and illness her entire life so can speak from a personal and professional perspective.
Lottie has done a variety of public speaking engagements in her career and is always happy to talk about disability and inclusion,. As she puts it 'The more knowledgable people are the kinder the world will become' And who doesn't want a kinder world?'
So if your a student union looking for a speaker to discuss topics like having a disability and accessibility, or a company looking for somebody to give you insight on inclusion or a blog post guest writer, whatever your event is get in touch today via social media or email hello@buttonsandbubbles.co.uk
Buttons & Bubbles on the Road
Find out where we will be this Autumn and Christmas
We are super excited to be back out on the road during Autumn and the lead up to Christmas.
So come and join us and explore Bubble World for yourself as we bring a messy and sensory play extravaganza! It is an opportunity not to be missed.
Events we will be at
14th September Romsey Show, Romsey
13th October Maidenhead Town Hall, Maidenhead
16th November Christmas Light Switch on, Eastleigh
23rd November Christmas Light Switch on, Maidenhead
Our characters
Meet all of our wonderful characters and find out more about them
Blossom
Blossom loves flowers and birds. She can walk and uses her wheelchair for independence.
Hamish
Hamish is obsessed with galaxies and the stars. He has an unknown genetic condition and uses Makaton.
Fizzy-Woo & Jingles the therapy dog.
Fzzy-woo is an artist. Jingles is a very clever dog who helps her navigate the world. Fizzy has a visual impairment.
Twizzles
Twizzles loves to listen to his Tonie Box. He has a trachea and a ventilator to help him breathe. He uses Makaton to communicate.
Jayanti
Jayanti loves to play with her toys and has begun to explore the world. She is surrounded by her ‘Beads of Courage.’
Pumpkin-Puff
Pumpkin-Puff is a big fan of flowers and playing with water. She shows a lot of happy stims. She wears headphones to help with the loud noises of the world.
Ralphie
Ralphie loves dinosaurs and messy play. He suffered a brain injury at birth and he has a PEG for feeding and medication.
Squiggles
Squiggles is Twizzles twin brother and loves to be super cheeky and play lots of games with his friends.
Waffles
Waffles loves building homes for other wildlife and he loves colourful hats. He has a condition that makes his muscles weak.
Clementine
Clementine' or 'Clemmy'. Loves music and shoes. She has a hearing impairment, she can speak but also uses BSL to communicate.
Teddy
Teddy dreams of being a magician. He has an illness and also has a 'tubie' for his food, fluid and meds.
All images and ideas are intellectual property of Buttons & Bubbles 2024 and use of them outside of our working environment and activities is strictly prohibited
Read our Disability Impact Statement
We strive to be fully inclusive and view disability in a positive light. We will proactively recruit people with disability and illness to fulfil roles both paid and voluntary.
We are committed to only engaging and working with people, charities and companies who align with our values and views on disability.