Tag Archive for: Community

thumbnail saying we are looking for volunteers

Could Your Company Spend a Day at MAIN?

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Could Your Company Spend a Day at MAIN?

🌱 Calling all parents, carers, friends and supporters of MAIN… we have a little favour to ask!

What if your workplace gave you a volunteering day… and you brought your whole team to MAIN? 💙

We’re putting a challenge out there to all our wonderful MAIN families, friends and supporters.

If you work for a company that offers volunteering days, community days or team volunteering, why not ask your boss or HR team:

“Could we spend a day volunteering at MAIN?”

You never know… they might just say yes!

So, what would we actually do?

Well, that’s the fun part.

You don’t need to be a gardener, painter, DIY expert or professional organiser. You just need to turn up with enthusiasm, sensible shoes and a willingness to get stuck in! 😂

There are always jobs at MAIN that need a few extra pairs of hands.

🌱 Fancy getting your hands dirty?
Come and help us in our allotment or community garden. There are plants to plant, things to tidy and plenty of opportunities to discover whether you actually have green fingers!

🎨 More of a creative type?
We always have painting, decorating and creative jobs that could use some extra help.

🧹 Love a good sort-out?
You could help us clean, organise, declutter and generally make things look fabulous.

📦 Got a talent for finding treasure?
We have donations, fundraising bits and tombola prizes that need sorting and organising. You might even discover something you didn’t know existed!

🔨 A bit handy?
There are always those little jobs that we never quite get around to. A team of willing volunteers can make a huge difference.

🌿 Outdoor person?
Help us get our outdoor spaces looking their best and ready for everyone who uses them.

🎉 Love events?
You could help us prepare for fundraising events, set things up, decorate, organise and generally help make the magic happen.

💙 Or just come and see where you’re needed most.

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can give a small charity isn’t money.

It’s time.

One day. A whole team. A BIG difference.

For a small charity like MAIN, having a team of people come in for a day can make an enormous difference.

Jobs that might take us weeks to get through can suddenly be done in a day.

A tired garden can be transformed.

A room can get a fresh coat of paint.

A mountain of donations can become beautifully organised.

And, perhaps most importantly, we get to meet some lovely new people who become part of the MAIN family for the day. 💙

And let’s be honest… we’ll probably put you to work! 😂

But we promise there’ll be plenty of laughs along the way.

Could you be our next MAIN volunteer team?

So, if you’re reading this and thinking:

“I reckon my workplace would do this…”

Don’t keep it to yourself!

👉 Send this blog to your boss.
👉 Pop it into your work WhatsApp group.
👉 Tag your HR team.
👉 Mention it at your next team meeting.

And ask them:

“Could we volunteer a day at MAIN this year?”

We’d absolutely LOVE to hear from you.

Whether you’re a team of 3, 10, 20 or more, we’d love to talk to you about how you could spend a day helping MAIN.

You bring the people. We’ll find the jobs! 😄

📩 Interested in bringing your team to MAIN?
Email us at info@iammain.org.uk

💙 Together, we’re raising smiles.

HUGE Thank You to COSTAIN and Their Amazing Volunteers!

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A HUGE Thank You to COSTAIN and Their Amazing Volunteers! 💚

We would like to say a very big and heartfelt thank you to COSTAIN, and especially to Sandra and her wonderful team of volunteers, for giving up their time and working incredibly hard to transform and clear our internal garden area at MAIN.

What started as an overgrown and unused space is now well on its way to becoming something really special. 🌿✨

The team has worked tirelessly to clear and prepare the area, with the hope that we can have the area resin and ready for our teenagers and young adults to enjoy.

Our vision is to create a tranquil, welcoming and safe outdoor space where our young people can relax, take some time out, enjoy the fresh air and simply feel comfortable being themselves. 💚

We also hope to be able to dress and decorate the area throughout the year, Christmas 🎄, Easter 🐣, Halloween 🎃 and everything in between, making it a space that changes with the seasons and gives our young people something to look forward to.

But there is another reason this support means so much to us.

Sandra has recently signed up to become a Trustee of MAIN, and we genuinely couldn’t be more prouder or more grateful to have her on board. Her commitment to our young people, her willingness to get stuck in and the support she has already brought to MAIN is absolutely fantastic.

To Sandra, COSTAIN and every single volunteer who picked up a tool, cleared an area, moved materials or simply gave their time, THANK YOU! ❤️

Your kindness, hard work and generosity are helping us turn a neglected space into somewhere our young people can relax, feel safe, make memories and call their own.

We can’t wait to see the finished space!

From all of us at MAIN, thank you for believing in what we do and for helping us make a real difference. 💚

🌿 Together, we’re creating spaces where young people can feel safe, valued and at home.

A BIG Thank You for Helping Our Community Garden Grow!

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🌱💚 A BIG Thank You for Helping Our Community Garden Grow! 🌻🥕🍅

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to one of our wonderful mums, Lynn, and to Morrisons, where Lynn works, for their incredibly kind donation of seeds for our allotment and community garden! 🌱💚

We were absolutely delighted to receive lots and lots of seeds, including:

🥕 Carrots
🧅 Onions
🥬 Lettuce
🍅 Tomatoes
🫘 Beans
🌱 Peas
…and so much more! 🌻🌿

Our community garden is a really special place at MAIN. It gives everyone the opportunity to get outside, get their hands dirty, learn about growing food, watch things develop and, of course, enjoy the excitement of seeing those first little shoots appear! 🌱👩‍🌾👨‍🌾

There is something so rewarding about planting a tiny seed and watching it grow into something we can eventually enjoy together. 💚

We are so thankful to Lynn and Morrisons for thinking of us and helping our garden grow. Your generosity will make a real difference and bring lots of smiles over the coming months. 🌈🌱

And while we’re saying thank you, we also want to give a massive THANK YOU to everyone who supports MAIN, day in and day out. Whether you donate, volunteer, fundraise, provide resources, share our work or simply cheer us on,  we appreciate every single bit of support. 💚

Together, we’re not just growing vegetables… we’re growing opportunities, confidence, friendships and our community. 🌱💚🌈

Thank you for helping MAIN grow! 🌻🥕🍅

World Smile Day – be KIND

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😊 World Smile Day at MAIN

Friday 2 October 2026

This World Smile Day, we’re bringing a little extra kindness, fun and positivity to MAIN! 💛

The message behind World Smile Day is simple:

“Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile.”

Created by Harvey Ball, the artist behind the original yellow smiley face, World Smile Day is all about bringing the focus back to goodwill, kindness and making a positive difference.

And that’s something we can all get behind at MAIN! 😁

🌟 The MAIN Smile Challenge

We’re challenging our staff and young people to spread as many smiles as possible!

Try one — or all — of these:

💛 Make Someone Smile – Give someone a compliment, help them out or do something thoughtful.

🎨 Design a Smiley – Create your own unique MAIN smiley and add it to our Smile Gallery.

😊 Smile Wall – Complete the sentence:
“Something that makes me smile is…”

🕵️ Secret Kindness Mission – Do something kind for someone without telling them it was you!

📸 Capture the Moment – With the right consent, share a photo or story of something that made you smile.

🎤 Ask Someone:
“What makes you smile?”
“What are you grateful for?”
“Who deserves a thank you?”

💬 And remember…

You don’t have to smile to take part!

Kindness can look different for everyone. It could be listening, creating, helping, playing, spending time together or simply doing something that makes you feel good.

💛 Our challenge:

Can the MAIN community create 100 smiles in one day?

Let’s spread a little kindness, celebrate each other and show the world how MAIN raises smiles!

#MAINSmileDay #TogetherRaisingSmiles #WorldSmileDay

Splash Project coming to MAIN

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🎉 Something Very Special Is Coming to MAIN!

We are incredibly excited to share some very special news with our Friends of MAIN, families, supporters and wider community…

🌟 MAIN is getting a brand-new play area!

This October, a fantastic new play space will be created at MAIN, giving the children and young people we support a dedicated place to play, explore, have fun, build friendships and simply be themselves.

The new play area will be created specifically to provide an exciting, welcoming and inclusive space for our young people, somewhere they can enjoy new experiences, spend time with friends and make memories together.

And this is where the story behind this very special project begins…

🤝 Connecting businesses with communities

Splash Projects connects businesses and business schools with communities through purposeful social-impact projects, bringing together professional skills, resources and volunteers to create something that delivers a lasting benefit to the people who use it. Splash Projects delivers projects internationally and has worked with communities throughout the world.

MAIN has been selected as a recipient in the Northeast of England, meaning that our young people will benefit directly from this incredible community project.

The project brings together the expertise, resources and people needed to transform our outdoor space into something special.

🛠️ A project made possible through partnership

The play area is being delivered through Splash Projects, with corporate partners and volunteers coming together to create a lasting social impact.

We are particularly grateful to CBRE for being involved in making this opportunity possible. CBRE is a global commercial real estate organisation operating across more than 100 countries, and its involvement demonstrates how businesses can use their skills, people and resources to create positive outcomes within communities.

The project will also involve an incredible team of volunteers, including retired Armed Forces veterans, who will bring their time, skills and experience to the build.

❤️ What this means for MAIN

For us, this isn’t simply a new play area.

It is a new space for our young people to laugh, play, explore, socialise and create memories.

MAIN supports children and young people from 5 upwards, who are autistic, neurodivergent, have a learning disability and/or complex needs, with a vision centred around inclusion, empowerment and helping every individual reach their full potential.

We are incredibly proud that MAIN has been chosen for this project and hugely grateful to everyone who is making it happen.

📅 When is it happening?

Work will begin on Monday 19 October 2026, with the Splash Projects volunteers working throughout the week.

Then, on Friday 23 October at 4:30pm, we’ll officially unveil the finished play area with our Grand Opening! 🎉

🎉 Come and celebrate with us!

We would love our Friends of MAIN, families, supporters and community partners to join us as we celebrate this very special moment.

📅 Friday 23 October 2026
⏰ From 4:30pm
📍 MAIN – The Finlay Cooper Centre, TS3 6EN

Come and see the new play area, meet some of the amazing people who have made it possible and, most importantly, celebrate what this will mean for the children and young people who use MAIN.

A huge THANK YOU to Splash Projects, CBRE, the volunteers and everyone involved in bringing this incredible project to MAIN.

Together, we’re creating a space where our young people can play, connect, belong and raise even more smiles. 💙

#TogetherRaisingSmiles #MAIN #SplashProjects #CBRE #Community #Inclusion #Autism #Neurodiversity #LearningDisability #SocialImpact #MakingADifference

A Huge Well Done to Nicola, Billy and Chloe! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🎉

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A Huge Well Done to Nicola, Billy and Chloe! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🎉

A huge congratulations to Nicola, Billy and Chloe on completing the Middlesbrough 10K! What an achievement! 👏

We’re especially proud of our amazing staff member Nicola, who took on the challenge to help raise awareness and funds for MAIN. Her commitment, determination and support mean so much to us, and we’re incredibly grateful that she chose to represent MAIN through the event. 💙

We’d also like to say a massive well done to Billy and Chloe for completing the 10K. We hope you’re all feeling very proud of yourselves!

And, of course, a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the Middlesbrough 10K, especially those who ran to raise money and awareness for charities and causes close to their hearts. Your support, fundraising and dedication make such a difference, and we really appreciate everything you do. 💙

From all of us at MAIN — well done, Nicola, Billy and Chloe! 🏅🎉

#Middlesbrough10K #MAIN #CharityFundraising #WellDone #TeamMAIN #CommunitySupport

#togetherraisingsmiles

What an Amazing FUNraiser! 🎉

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What an Amazing FUNraiser! 🎉

What a fantastic day we had at The Jovial Monk for our recent FUNraiser in support of MAIN!

Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who came along, supported us, donated, volunteered and got involved, we are delighted to announce that we raised an amazing £791.26 for MAIN! ❤️

The event was a brilliant example of what can happen when our local community comes together. There was a fantastic turnout, a wonderful atmosphere and so much support for the work we do with children, young people and families.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a success:

🍕 aMAYzing Pizza – thank you for helping keep everyone well fed!

🏍️ Road Kraken MCC – thank you for your fantastic support and for helping create such a great atmosphere.

🧤 North Ormesby History Group – a very special thank you for coming along in advance and litter picking the area. Your support and care for the local community made a real difference.

And, of course, thank you to every single person who attended. Whether you donated, bought something, enjoyed the food, joined in the fun, or simply came along to show your support, you helped us raise vital funds for MAIN.

We are incredibly grateful to The Jovial Monk for hosting us and to everyone who played a part in making the event such a success.

Most importantly, the £791.26 raised will help MAIN continue supporting children, young people and families across our community.

This is what community is all about – people coming together, having fun and making a difference. 💙

Thank you all for your amazing support!

#MAIN #FUNdraiser #Community #Middlesbrough #NorthOrmesby #ThankYou #CommunitySupport #Fundraising

#togetherraisingsmiles

 

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. 💚

Celebrating Linda Dickinson’s Incredible 25 Years of Dedication to MAIN

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Celebrating Linda Dickinson’s Incredible 25 Years of Dedication to MAIN

Everyone at MAIN would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our much-valued Trustee, Linda Dickinson, as she retires after an incredible 25 years of dedication and support.

Linda has been part of MAIN since the very beginning, playing an instrumental role in helping shape the organisation into the specialist charity it is today. Through her unwavering commitment, compassion, and belief in our mission, Linda has helped MAIN grow to support autistic, neurodiverse, learning disabled, and complex needs children, young people, and adults through our short breaks provision and wider services.

Over the past 25 years, countless families have benefited from Linda’s care, encouragement, and advocacy. Her wisdom and understanding have had a lasting impact not only on the individuals and families we support, but also on staff, volunteers, and fellow trustees across the organisation.

Linda has always brought kindness, warmth, humour, and positivity into every room she enters. Her ability to support others with genuine compassion while championing the values of MAIN has made her an irreplaceable part of our journey.

Trustees are often the quiet strength behind charities, and Linda has been exactly that for MAIN, offering guidance, reassurance, and unwavering belief from our inception through to where we are today.

As Linda begins her retirement, we want to say how truly well deserved it is. After 25 years of support and helping countless families, her legacy within MAIN and the wider community will continue for many years to come.

Thank you, Linda 💙

With love and appreciation from everyone at MAIN.