Charity 'cancels Christmas' over uncertain future

For twenty years a charity has laid on special parties for children with additional needs to provide a calm and safe space to enjoy Christmas.

But this year, the two-decade tradition will not be going ahead, after Our Kids Eyes (OKE) based in Tameside, said they had been forced to cancel their festive events after the future of its office in a council building became uncertain.

Claire Hannah, one parent whose family benefits from the charity's support, said her 11-year-old son - who has been going to the parties most of his life was "absolutely devastated".

The council told the BBC that the charity's office was "still available under the same ongoing arrangements".

The small charity is run by parent volunteers out of the Jubilee Gardens community health centre in Droylsden, a building shared with other support groups and the council's Children with Disabilities team.

Elaine Healey, from the charity, told BBC Radio Manchester that other council staff in the health centre had been asked to clear their desks in August in preparation to leave the site - a move which never materialised.

A council spokeswoman said this had been a conversation between employer and employees to rotate their work base with another council site, and would not affect other groups occupying the space.

But Ms Healey said when she asked Tameside Council whether OKE would also have to vacate the hub, she received no response.

It led OKE staff to make the difficult decision to cancel their winter events due to the lack of certainty over their own office, which they needed to oversee the major planning required to put on the Christmas party.

The party cancellations have caused "great upset" among parents, but the charity said it had no choice as there was "no certainty on whether we’re going to be here tomorrow, next week, or next year, we can't plan ahead."

Ms Hannah said her son Anton, now 11, had been going to the "godsend" event since he was three.

"He’s able to be part of something in an environment where he feels welcome, he can meets Father Christmas, and do disco dancing with no judgement", she said.

The single parent from Audenshaw said the event was "part of our Christmas", adding she and her son "can't go to other places" as they are not suitable for his needs.

She said Anton, who has autism, was crestfallen when she had to tell him it was not going ahead this year.

"I said I'll try and find something else , but I don’t know what we can actually do, we feel alienated elsewhere, excluded," she added.

Melanie Wallwork from Ashton said the OKE party had been "phenomenal" for her five-year-old son Jake, who is non-verbal and has complex needs.

She said taking him to other Christmas events like seeing Santa in a shopping centre had been "impossible".

"He struggles with the lights, the noise the sound, it’s too much stimuli", she added.

Ms Wallwork said OKE hand-picked toys for each children's needs and tailored the event so all the children "came away happy".

Ms Healey said preparation for the event was an "all year endeavour" that was like "planning five weddings", and involved the wrapping of "thousands of presents".

"Here, they can have a meal and not have to worry about general public, and anyone accepting them or judging them", she added.

Ms Healey said they were still operating support, advice signposting, support groups and other family activities for SEN parents, but have been "planning it month-month" and "playing it safe" until they get assurances.

It comes amid a period of turmoil in the council over failings in its Children Services department that led to the resignation of senior leaders.

A Tameside Council spokesperson said the site was still available for the charity and "nothing has changed", and that any decision about changes to the future use of the building would be communicated.

“We have reached out to OKE to offer support to make sure that there are great opportunities for children to celebrate Christmas," they added.

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