Tag Archive for: Community Support

Jovial Monk Fundraiser Event for MAIN 30th August 2026

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The Jovial Monk Fundraiser for MAIN – Saturday 30th August

We’re delighted to announce that The Jovial Monk will be hosting a fundraising day in support of MAIN on Saturday 30th August, starting from 11:00am.

Join us for a fantastic community event packed with entertainment, family fun, and plenty of opportunities to support a great cause. Every pound raised will help MAIN continue providing vital support to autistic children, young people, adults, and their families across our community.

The day will feature a sponsored motorbike ride led by Road Krakens MCC, along with a wide range of activities for everyone to enjoy, including:

  • Food stalls
  • Games for all ages
  • Live music
  • Family-friendly activities
  • And plenty more surprises throughout the day!

Whether you’re coming along for the bikes, the entertainment, or simply to show your support, there’s something for everyone. Bring your family and friends and help us make it a day to remember while raising vital funds for MAIN.

Date: Saturday 30th August
Time: From 11:00am onwards
Venue: The Jovial Monk

We can’t wait to see you there and thank you for supporting MAIN! 💙

Blessed and Thankful to KSB Greenhouse UK

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🌱 A Huge Thank You to KSB Greenhouse UK for Their Incredible Support

We are absolutely delighted to share our sincere thanks to KSB Greenhouse UK for their kindness, generosity, and support towards MAIN.

Thanks to their incredible help, we now have a newly installed 3m x 4m Signa Lux polytunnel, which would normally cost upwards of £1,500 installed. Through their generosity, we have been able to access this at less than half the usual cost, and we are truly grateful for this outstanding support.

A heartfelt thank you also goes to the amazing installation team, who did a fantastic job. The polytunnel is secure, high-quality, and already looking like it will make a real and lasting difference to our charity. Your professionalism and care throughout the installation process have been greatly appreciated.

This new space opens up so many exciting opportunities for us at MAIN. We are now able to take another step forward in our vision of “soil to plate” learning, where our young people, aged 5 years and upwards, can actively engage with growing, harvesting, and cooking their own produce.

From tomatoes and herbs to runner beans climbing our wigwam supports, this hands-on approach will encourage learning in unique and meaningful ways. It will help the people we support to build confidence, develop life skills, and connect with nature in a therapeutic and inclusive environment.

At MAIN, we proudly support autistic and neurodiverse individuals, as well as people living with mental health challenges, disabilities, and complex needs. Opportunities like this help us to continue creating accessible, engaging experiences that make a real difference in people’s lives.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to Emma and Gary, whose encouragement and connection helped make this possible. Your kindness and community spirit are deeply appreciated, great friends doing great things locally.

From all of us at MAIN, thank you to everyone involved for helping us grow, both literally and figuratively. 💚

Redcar Rangers in Action for Charity

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Redcar Rangers coaches and chair are taking on the Hard Moors 55 on 21st March 2026, running from Guisborough Rugby Club to Helmsley!

Three team members are pushing themselves across this challenging course to raise funds for MAIN. 💛

We’d love your support!

Keep an eye out for fundraising details from John (Milky) to follow, every contribution counts! 🙌

Let’s show our Redcar Rangers spirit and help make a difference! ⚡

#RedcarRangers #HardMoors55 #CharityRun #Fundraising #CommunitySpirit #togetherraisingsmiles

The Hardmoors 55 is a 55 mile Ultramarathon running from Guisborough to Helmsley. The 55 mile race will take competitors through the North York Moors and the Cleveland Hills in quite possibly winter conditions. Do not underestimate this race!! The race contains over 2000metres of ascent and has a time limit of 16 hours.

Please follow the link if you are able to donate to this worthwhile challenge, supporting two amazing charities.

Hello! I’m raising £750 to Great North Children’s Hospital Foundation & Main Together Raising Smiles an autism charity. Here’s my JustGiving page, if you’d like to donate, please head to: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/john-morrill?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=WA

The race will start in Guisborough at the Rugby Club on Belmangate and finish at Helmsley Sports Club

Every child deserves the best possible education — SEND reform must help make that a reality.

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Response to the Government’s SEND Reform Announcement

The Government published its long-awaited reforms to the SEND system. As a local charity supporting autistic, neurodiverse and learning disabled children and their families, MAIN recognises that change can bring both opportunity and uncertainty.

For many of the families we work alongside, uncertainty is not a small matter. Our parents and carers are already exhausted, navigating complex systems, advocating tirelessly for their children, and often fighting prolonged battles simply to secure the support that is legally required. Any proposed changes to the SEND framework will understandably increase anxiety for families who are already stretched beyond capacity.

We urge policymakers to carefully consider their audience before implementing reforms. Behind every policy decision are real children and real families who depend on stability, clarity and trust in the system designed to support them.

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are not a luxury. They are not an optional extra. They are a legal entitlement, a statutory protection that ensures children and young people with additional needs receive the support necessary to access education safely, meaningfully and equitably.

Our children deserve the best possible education, one that recognises their strengths, meets their needs, and enables them to thrive. Their families deserve to be heard, respected, and meaningfully involved in any changes that affect them.

We call on the Government to:

Engage openly and transparently with families and frontline organisations.

Protect the legal rights and statutory protections currently afforded to children and young people with SEND.

Ensure that reforms strengthen, not weaken, accountability and access to support.

Prioritise early intervention and adequately funded services so families are not left in crisis.

Change must not come at the cost of children’s rights or families’ wellbeing. We stand ready to work constructively with decision-makers to ensure reforms deliver genuine improvement rather than additional barriers.

Our families deserve certainty.
Our children deserve opportunity.
Their rights must remain protected.

Win a FREE Personal Assistant (PA) Session at MAIN!

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🌟 Win a FREE Personal Assistant (PA) Session at MAIN! 🌟

Sophie, a dedicated member of the MAIN team 💙, is raising funds to gift one lucky family a FREE Personal Support (PA) session at MAIN!

Our PA sessions are fully tailored to your child’s individual interests, strengths and preferences, delivering meaningful, person-centred support for autistic and neurodiverse children and young people, including those with learning disabilities.

🎉 One family will receive a session completely free of charge!

📅 The session will take place during the Easter holidays:
Friday 3 April 2026 – Friday 17 April 2026

⏳ Closing date for entries: 31st March 2026

To support Sophie’s fundraiser, you can:
💷 Drop off a cash donation at MAIN
🔗 Donate online via GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/2dd9bb782

To ensure complete transparency and fairness, the winner will be selected using a random number generator and the draw will be live streamed.

To enter your child into the draw:
📧 Email: snandrews@iammain.org.uk

📱 Text: 07736 925252
(Please include your child’s name)

Thank you for supporting Sophie and MAIN — and the very best of luck to everyone entering! 🍀💙

Chat MAIN Logo

Chat MAIN – online support for our Neurodiverse Community

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🎙️ You may have heard us on Hits Radio recently…

We’ve been chatting about the importance of connection, understanding, and community for autistic and neurodiverse adults, and that conversation has inspired something new at MAIN 💛

✨ Something supportive.
✨ Something welcoming.
✨ Something online.

We know adulthood can feel isolating, especially when you’re autistic or neurodivergent. That’s why our team has been quietly working behind the scenes on a new space where adults can connect, share experiences, and simply be themselves, with no pressure and no expectations.

💬 A calm, friendly online group
🤝 A place to meet others who understand
🏠 Join from the comfort of home

Thank you to Hits Radio for helping us raise awareness✨

Thank you to Katherine and Helen for supporting Chat MAIN 

Please follow the link on our website, or to ask a question or find out more email – info@iammain.org.uk; 

#TogetherRaisingSmiles #Autism #Neurodivergent #AdultSupport #Community #MentalHealth #ADHDSupport #LearningDisability #ComplexNeeds #SENSupport #Support

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, to Cash for Kids – Hits Radio

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We would like to say a huge thank you to Cash for Kids, Bauer Group, Hits Radio, and our incredible community for their generosity, supporting good causes across the North East.

We are truly blessed and deeply thankful for your kindness. The toys and gifts provided will bring so much joy, comfort, and positive sensory experiences to our children, many of whom are autistic, neurodiverse, have learning disabilities, and/or complex needs.

We specifically requested sensory and fidget toys, and Hits Radio delivered beyond expectations. These items will help our children feel calm, supported, engaged, and included, while also providing enjoyment and meaningful play.

The smiles, excitement, and appreciation from our children say it all.

Your generosity will make a lasting difference, and we cannot thank you enough 💙

Thank you, Celestial Windows Middlesbrough

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A Massive THANK YOU 💙

We would like to send our heartfelt thanks to Thomas’s mum and family.

Grandad Alan, who owns Celestial Windows, in Middlesbrough have again shown their generosity, by donating lots of toys, arts and crafts sets, and baking ingredients that will bring so much joy to our children and young people,, especially as we head into the Christmas holiday season.

MAIN is incredibly blessed to have such strong and caring support from our community. Thomas, who attends MAIN, is part of a loving and supportive family who continually go above and beyond to help ensure our spaces remain happy, inclusive, and welcoming for everyone. Their kindness and thoughtfulness never go unnoticed.

This is not the first time Celestial Windows have stepped up for MAIN. Earlier this year, when our hosepipe and mounting were stolen, Alan (Grandad) immediately sprang into action, arranging for one of his staff members to come over with a replacement, no hesitation, just genuine care and community spirit.

Now, as Christmas approaches, we are overwhelmed by the generosity shown once again. The toys and resources donated will help us create magical moments, spark creativity, and ensure our children and young people can enjoy festive activities together in a safe and nurturing environment.

Support like this truly highlights the power of local people supporting local causes. It is partnerships and kindness like this that allow MAIN to continue raising smiles, building confidence, and creating opportunities for everyone to thrive.

From all of us at MAIN, thank you for your continued support, generosity, and belief in what we do. You are helping us make a real difference, and for that, we are deeply grateful. 💙

The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy – Time to Deliver

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Let’s hope this actually does what it says on the tin, real, meaningful support for our autistic & neurodiverse community.

The House of Lords committee has just published their report “Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy”, calling for urgent, concrete action.

They highlight that more than 200,000 people are currently waiting for autism assessments.

They’re demanding a costed, deliverable plan for the next strategy (which needs to launch by July 2026) with real accountability.

They also stress the need for meaningful involvement of autistic people in every stage of designing and delivering this strategy.
UK Parliament Committees

Training must be expanded for public-facing staff, and there must be better support for autistic people in the criminal justice system.
UK Parliament Committees

Why this matters:
For too long, policy has been made for autistic people not with them. According to the report, successive governments have failed to deliver on real change. This isn’t just about “nice words” it’s about building a system that works, assessment, support, employment, health, justice all of it.

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/770/autism-act-2009-committee/news/210570/autism-act-committee-report-publication/

Thank you Stockton City The Smoggies Football Club

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A Huge Thank You from MAIN!

This weekend, MAIN Charity, which supports autistic, neurodiverse, learning disabled and complex needs individuals from 5 years upwards, were honoured to be welcomed to a fantastic charity football match organised by Dalton Storey, a young man who truly shines with enthusiasm and care for his community. ⚽

Congratulations to Stockton City ‘The Smoggies’ for winning the game, and a massive thank you to everyone who came along and helped raise £225.95 from ticket sales on the door!

But Dalton didn’t stop there, he also organised a brilliant Race Night at The Moline Cross, raising a further £100,00, to support our amazing charity.

Special thanks also go to:
Linda Dickinson, Interim Chair and Trustee, who came along in support
My lovely granddaughter Laila, who braved the weather to cheer on the teams
Leanne and Tracey for attending the Race Night and showing their support

It’s heart warming to see such great people coming together with love and dedication to support MAIN.

#ThankYou #CommunitySpirit #CharitySupport #Neurodiversity #TeamMAIN #Fundraising #TogetherRaisingSmiles