My chosen charity for the 12 days of Christmas is ‘Special Effect’, who use innovative technology to make computer games more accessible to physically disabled people.

I love gaming, and it’s been a big part of my life since I was a kid. It’s been a great way to meet new friends, grow relationships by playing online together, as well as develop some much-needed skills like hand-eye coordination! Over the last few years the gaming industry has grown exponentially, even becoming a sport (eSport) and creating lots of YouTube stars. The whole point of gaming is that it’s for everyone and anyone, and that’s exactly the focus of my chosen charity. A YouTuber I watch regularly, JackFrags, first bought my attention to Special Effect and the amazing work they do to make gaming more inclusive, and I immediately wanted to be part of it.

Special Effect want everyone to be included, and their mission is to maximise fun and quality of life by helping people play video games to the best of their abilities. Their team of occupational therapists and gaming specialists work together to create bespoke control set ups with everything from modified controllers to eye-tracking sensors based on each person’s needs. The work they do is about more than just gaming. It brings families and friends together, assists education, helps medically isolated children connect with the outside world, improves quality of life, confidence and rehabilitation. It helps bring communication, independence and hope for people who are suffering severe injury, or physical disabilities.

The donation from Jellybean means a lot to a small charity like Special Effect, as they don’t charge for their help, and this donation will go a long way in assisting their assessments, resources and work with game developers.

If you would like to learn more about this amazing charity or even help by donating please check out their website www.specialeffect.org.uk/