Our aim is to provide aid, funding, practical support and encouragement to individuals with physical and/or mental disabilities which has resulted in them facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.
We believe every person has the right to feel valued, have a sense of purpose and to be empowered to achieve their goals regardless of their circumstances.
CiaO is focussed on helping these people achieve their goals.
The CiaO Foundation is a charitable trust that since its inception in 2016 has supported hundreds of individuals in improving their futures, helping them to face the challenges of serious adversity, including paralysis, mental illness and life-changing injuries.
If you are an individual or a team/group of individuals with the determination to overcome such a challenge The CiaO Foundation may be able to help, through a CiaO Grant and mentorship
Applications for CiaO Grants are now open and being accepted, Apply for yours today!
If you have questions regarding whether you can nominate someone to us for a CiaO Grant, how to make an application, or on any aspect of the application process, please do contact us.
We have partnered with many charities and organisations in our work of helping people find opportunity in their challenges. Some have been the catalyst in nominating individuals who need help, where others have been the providers of the much-needed help.
The CiaO Foundation is delighted to share the success of a recent silent auction held during a special preview of Road, a new series of paintings by acclaimed British artist Duncan Robert McCormick. Hosted at the H.R. Owen Lotus showroom on Piccadilly in London, the preview event brought together art enthusiasts, supporters and friends to celebrate McCormick’s latest body of work.
The CiaO Foundation is proud to continue its supportive partnership with Dysart School, a specialist provision supporting pupils with a wide range of severe and complex learning disabilities across the Royal Borough of Kingston and beyond. Dysart is dedicated to promoting equality of opportunity and maximising every young person’s potential by fostering independence, communication, self-esteem and confidence.
We are very proud to support para-badminton athlete David Follett, an exceptional competitor, mentor and role model whose journey is a powerful example of resilience in action. Ranked number one in England and seventh in the world in mixed doubles, David has spent well over a decade representing his country with pride, turning adversity into lasting impact both on and off the court.
We’re thrilled to welcome Bethany Handley—prolific poet, writer, editor, and disability activist—as one of the latest recipients of a CiaO Foundation grant. Bethany’s creative voice and advocacy work have touched many, and her resilience since becoming paralysed from the waist down in 2023 has been nothing short of inspiring.
We are incredibly proud to support 17-year-old Braydon Robus, a student at East Sussex College Hastings, who despite facing significant challenges, has risen to become one of Great Britain’s most promising adaptive judo competitors. His story is a powerful example of what determination, focus and self-belief can achieve.
We are delighted to introduce Zoe Smith, an extraordinary athlete, World Champion Para Surfer and one of our newest CiaO Grant recipients. Zoe’s journey is not just about winning medals, it is a powerful example of how life’s greatest challenges can open the door to new purpose, renewed identity and unexpected joy.
The CiaO Foundation have followed up on their support of children with special needs by pioneering a new initiative, together with another fantastic charity, Share Community
On Monday 21st July The CiaO Foundation held a very successful fundraising Golf Day at The Army Golf Club, raising funds to support individuals with mental and physical disabilities take on challenges.
