Introducing our new Charity Director

We are delighted to announce that Suzanne Latre has joined DS Achieve this week as Charity Director.

As DS Achieve has grown and evolved over recent years, it has become increasingly important to strengthen the charity's senior leadership capacity and ensure we have dedicated strategic leadership to support our next phase of development. The appointment of a Charity Director is an important step in that journey, enabling us to build on the strong foundations already in place while ensuring the charity is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Suzanne was particularly drawn to DS Achieve's values and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people and families. She brings a wealth of experience from the charity sector, having held senior leadership roles within both charities and community interest companies. Her background includes leading teams, developing and delivering services for children and people with disabilities, securing grant funding, overseeing HR, finance and governance, and working with Boards to help organisations develop and grow. She also has significant experience in developing partnerships and strengthening organisations to ensure they are well placed for the future.

Alongside Suzanne's appointment, there have been some other changes within our team this term. Fiona has chosen to reduce her working week to three days and return to her previous Operations Manager role. We are delighted that Fiona will continue to be a key member of the DS Achieve team, bringing her considerable experience and knowledge to the operational management of the charity and supporting the delivery of our services. 

Together with other recent additions to our team, these changes will strengthen our organisational capacity and provide a solid foundation for the next stage of DS Achieve's development. We look forward to continuing to develop our services, strengthening existing partnerships and creating even more opportunities to support children, young people and families in the years ahead.

Suzanne is very much looking forward to meeting the families, professionals, partners and supporters who make DS Achieve such a special community, and to spending her first few weeks getting to know our team, our services and the people we support. 

We hope you will join us in giving Suzanne a very warm welcome to DS Achieve, and we look forward to introducing her to many of you over the coming weeks. 

Welcome to the 2026-27 Academic Year!

DS Achieve is back for the new academic year, and we’re looking forward to another busy and exciting year supporting children, young people and families across Hertfordshire and the surrounding counties.

We hope you’ve had a lovely summer break and a good start to the new school year. We know that both the summer holidays and the return to school can bring their own challenges for families, so if there’s anything we can help with, please do get in touch.

What’s happening this term?

We have lots happening across our groups and services this term, take a look below to see what we have coming up:

Little Achievers starts back on Thursday 17th September

Our weekly group for children aged 0–5 and their parents/carers is back this week. Little Achievers runs on Thursday mornings during term time and includes play, activities, Sing & Sign and access to our Sensory Toy Lending Library.

Play and Learn Hub starts back on Saturday 19th September

Our Play and Learn Hub for children aged 5–11 returns on Saturday afternoons at Applecroft School in Welwyn Garden City. The group provides a welcoming space for children to socialise, make friends, build confidence and independence, and enjoy a range of play-based, creative and physical activities.

We’re delighted to welcome Rebecca as our new Play and Learn Hub Leader, supported by our fantastic team of Support Workers - Ariella, Charlotte, Kambiz and Ridhi.

Youth Club starts on Saturday 19th September

We’re particularly excited to be launching our new Youth Club this term for young people aged 11–17!

The Youth Club will run on Saturday afternoons from 4–5:30pm at Applecroft School, Welwyn Garden City, providing a regular space for young people to build friendships, develop confidence and independence, and enjoy age-appropriate social, creative, physical and wellbeing activities.

Katherine joins us as our new Youth Club Leader, supported by our brilliant Support Workers - Charlotte and Kambiz.

Our schools training starts on Tuesday 22nd September with our three part course Supporting Pupils with Down Syndrome in Education for teachers, SENCOs, teaching assistants and other education professionals

And don’t forget our Resources into Schools service which is ongoing. Make your application at any time.

If you would like any more information on any of the services DS Achieve offers, please get in touch! We would love to hear from you: info@dsachieve.org / 07824 467471.

Could YOU help shape the future of DS Achieve as a Trustee?

As we approach our ninth anniversary, we're reflecting on everything we've achieved together. Since 2018, we've grown from a small parent-led group into an established charity, supporting hundreds of children, young people, families and professionals through regular services, events, training, advice and support. 

We're incredibly proud of the community we've built together and of the difference we've been able to make to so many families over the past nine years. We hope your family has benefited from being part of that journey - and had plenty of fun with us along the way! 

We’re very fortunate to have had a dedicated, committed and skilled Trustee Board, including three of our founders, steering the charity over the last nine years. We’d like to thank each and every past and present member of the team for their contributions over the years. DS Achieve simply wouldn't be where it is today without them. 

As we look ahead, we’d like to invite new Trustees to join our Board. We’re a welcoming, hardworking, supportive team who are deeply committed to our community and our mission. 

Who are we looking for?

Many of our own children are now teenagers or young adults, so we'd particularly love to welcome some parents of younger children onto the Board. As a parent-led charity, we've always been shaped by the families we support, and we're passionate about ensuring that continues. By bringing together lived experience, professional expertise, fresh ideas and different perspectives, we can continue developing DS Achieve to meet the needs of today's families and those who will join our community in the years ahead.

We’d particularly welcome new team members with Chair, Treasurer, or previous Trustee experience, or professional services backgrounds. But if you don’t have this experience, please do still get in touch - the most important qualities we’re looking for are the ability to work as part of a team, make strategic decisions and a willingness to do what’s needed to make things happen. 

Why become a Trustee?

Being a Trustee is an opportunity to:

• make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people with Down Syndrome and their families.

• develop new skills, broaden your experience, meet like-minded people and play a key role in shaping the future of a charity that makes a real difference in our local community

• influence the direction of the charity and ensure that future families receive the same support that so many have benefited from already. 

What does the Trustee role involve?

As a small charity, our Trustees play an active role. We have a strong Operations team who deliver our services day to day, so the Board's primary responsibility is strategic leadership and good governance. However, the role does go further than this as there can be a need to provide support in other ways from time to time.  We therefore need people who are willing to roll their sleeves up and help as needed - from supporting a project or sharing professional expertise, to volunteering to help set up at one of our community events.

Board meetings take place online once every half term, with one in-person strategy day each year. Outside meetings, Trustees may contribute to projects, working groups or specific pieces of work depending on their skills, interests and availability. Our standard Trustee term is three years. While the time commitment is manageable for most people, we're looking for individuals who can make an ongoing commitment to helping shape the future of the charity. If you're interested in taking on the Chair or Treasurer role, we'd be happy to discuss the additional responsibilities involved. 

Interested?

Whether you're an experienced Trustee or simply curious about what the role involves, we'd love to have an informal chat. Please email us at info@dsachieve.org - there's no obligation, and we're always happy to answer questions before you decide if becoming a Trustee is right for you. 

Thank you once again for your support, 

Trustees of DS Achieve

Thank You Helena Palmer!

We are incredibly grateful to Helena and everyone who helped make the concert at St Catherine's Church, Litlington such a success. From the organisers and performers to everyone who attended and donated, thank you for helping to raise an amazing £600+ for DS Achieve!

Every pound raised makes a real difference, helping us continue our work with families and professionals so that children and young people with Down Syndrome can thrive and achieve their full potential.

Thank you so much for your support!

We are recruiting for a Play and Learn Hub Leader

We are looking for looking for a warm, supportive Leader with great organisational and communication skills for our fantastic Play & Learn Hub programme for children with Down Syndrome, aged 5-11 years.

Play & Learn Hub provides a welcoming, friendly, and engaging space for children with Down Syndrome aged 5–11 to:

• Socialise and make friends

• Build confidence and independence

• Explore play-based, creative and physical activities

• Take part in themed sessions, games, crafts, role play and movement activities
  

Pay: Range between £18-20 per hour, to accommodate background, skills, professional qualifications, and experience.

Hours: 3.25 hours per week; 31 weeks per year (during term time only), to cover:

• 2.25 hours at the group each week (approximately 2-4pm on Saturday afternoons)

• 10 hours per term on other listed activities, to be worked flexibly

Location: Groups take place at Applecroft Primary School, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JZ.

Start date: September 2026

If you are interested in applying for the position and want to find out more, please read the role profile here and get in touch with your CV and the reasons why you’re interested in the role on info@dsachieve.org.

The application deadline is Tuesday 23rd June. Please expect to receive a response to your application once the deadline has passed.

We are recruiting for Youth Club Support Workers

We are looking for enthusiastic and conscientious individuals to work as part of a fantastic team, led by the Youth Club Leader, to deliver our new, weekly, term-time only Young Achievers Youth Club programme for children with Down Syndrome, aged 11-17 years, launching in September.

Youth Club provides a friendly, educational and engaging space for children and young people with Down Syndrome aged 11-17 to:

• Develop and maintain connection and friendships for secondary-aged young people

• Build confidence, independence and self-advocacy

• Provide age-appropriate social opportunities

• Develop teamwork, communication and life skills

• Offer engaging physical, creative and wellbeing activities

Pay: From £13.15 per hour.

Hours: 2 hours per week; 30 weeks per year (during term time only), to cover:

• 2 hours at the group each week (4-6pm on Saturday afternoons)

Location: Groups take place at Applecroft Primary School, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JZ.

Start date: September 2026

If you are interested in applying for the position and want to find out more, please read the role profile here and get in touch with your CV and the reasons why you’re interested in the role on info@dsachieve.org.

The application deadline is Sunday 21st June. Please expect to receive a response to your application once the deadline has passed.

We are recruiting a Charity Director

We are looking for a strategic, values-driven and collaborative Charity Director/CEO to lead DS Achieve through its next stage, building on strong foundations to ensure long-term sustainability and meaningful impact for the families we support.

This is a rewarding opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of a small community-focused charity supporting children and young people with Down Syndrome. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic leadership, guide the development of the organisation, and support a committed team to deliver high-quality services for families across Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.

Pay: c. £45,500 FTE (pro rata depending on hours)

Hours: A minimum of 15 hours per week, across a minimum of three days (flexible), including:

• Term-time delivery, with occasional light activity outside term time

• Monthly attendance at Saturday afternoon sessions

• Occasional attendance at key events

Location: Home based, with occasional travel within Hertfordshire for meetings, events or service delivery as required.

Start date: Summer 2026 (flexible)

If you are interested in applying for the position and would like to find out more, please read the Role Profile here and get in touch with your CV and a covering letter outlining your interest in the role at info@dsachieve.org.

The application deadline is Monday 8th June 2026. Please expect to receive a response once the deadline has passed.

Guinness World Record Holder!

We are incredibly proud to celebrate an amazing achievement by DS Achieve team member Charlotte, who has achieved a world record at the TCS London Marathon 2026!

Charlotte’s determination, resilience and positivity have inspired all of us, and we know many of our families and supporters will join us in congratulating her on this fantastic accomplishment.

Taking on the London Marathon is an incredible challenge in itself, and to achieve a world record at the same time is truly remarkable. We are so proud to have Charlotte as part of the DS Achieve team.

A huge congratulations, Charlotte - what an achievement!

Thank You Herts Loves CIC!

A huge thank you to Herts Loves CIC who raised £100 for DS Achieve at their pre-loved children's pop-up at the end of March.

Every pound raised makes a real difference, helping us continue our work with families and professionals so that children and young people with Down Syndrome can thrive and achieve their full potential.

Thank you so much for your brilliant support!

A Huge Thank You to Our London Marathon Runners!

We want to say a huge congratulations and thank you to our two incredible 2026 London Marathon runners, Penny and Charlotte.

Penny ran as DS Achieve’s official charity place runner, while Charlotte is one of our DS Achieve team. We are so grateful to both of them for the dedication, training, fundraising and determination that went into completing this amazing challenge.

Running the London Marathon is an enormous achievement, especially in the hot conditions on the day, and we could not be prouder of what they accomplished.

We would also like to thank everyone who donated, cheered them on, shared posts and supported their fundraising journeys. Every contribution will help us continue providing vital support, opportunities and services for children and young people with Down Syndrome and their families.

Your support truly makes a difference, and we are incredibly thankful to have such a wonderful community behind DS Achieve.

Thank you Penny, Charlotte and all of our supporters!