University of Chichester celebrates exciting new partnership with Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity
The University of Chichester has secured significant funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for an innovative Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity, marking a major milestone for both institutions. The two-year project will embed evidence-based assessment and optimization frameworks within the charity to transform how early intervention services are evaluated and improved for children with cerebral palsy, chromosome abnormalities, and rare genetic disorders.
Professor Antonina Pereira, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Chichester said: “This Knowledge Transfer Partnership represents the very best of what universities and charities can achieve together: research with purpose, impact, and heart! We are immensely proud to collaborate with Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity to embed cutting-edge, evidence-based practices that will transform early intervention services for children and their families. This project not only strengthens the charity’s capacity to measure and enhance its life-changing work but also embodies our commitment at the University of Chichester to using research to make a tangible difference in our communities.”
The partnership will see the University of Chichester’s School of Law, Business and Psychology work closely with Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity, which currently supports over 100 children per week through specialist services including physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, music therapy, rebound therapy and hydrotherapy. Led by Dr Benjamin Sharpe, the project will transfer advanced research methodologies from academia to practice, developing the charity’s internal capacity to independently assess service impact and understand comprehensive family experiences.
Dr Benjamin Sharpe, KTP Knowledge Lead, said: “We’re incredibly excited to begin this transformative partnership with Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity. This KTP will allow us to transfer our research expertise to help the charity develop robust evidence-based frameworks for measuring the real impact of their vital services. What makes this project particularly meaningful is that we’re building the charity’s own capacity to generate ongoing evidence that will strengthen their funding applications, improve their services, and ultimately help more children with motor learning impairments reach their full potential.”
The innovative approach will examine not just child outcomes, but the comprehensive family experience, including economic challenges and potential support refinements, creating sustainable capabilities for transforming outcomes for children and families across Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and South London.
Glenys Creese, CEO of Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity, commented: “We are thrilled at not only the opportunity to work with the University of Chichester and develop strong links with the professionals who have so much knowledge to share but it is also an exciting opportunity to strengthen the work of the Charity and ensure that all services offered are done so to the absolute best possible standard.”
To deliver this ambitious project, the University is now recruiting a KTP Associate who will be based at the charity’s specialist centre in North Chailey, East Sussex, for the full 24-month duration. The successful candidate will serve as the bridge between academic excellence and practical application, transferring advanced research methodologies from academia to practice and developing evidence-based assessment frameworks tailored to the charity’s early intervention services. This full-time position offers exceptional professional development opportunities, including a £4,000 personal development budget, and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the lives of vulnerable children and their families.
To apply for the Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate position and learn more, visit https://unchili.webitrent.com/unchili_web/wrd/run/ETREC179GF.open?wvid=4211941WJu
