Parent carer forum Parentsactive has celebrated 25 years in Hammersmith & Fulham with an afternoon of music, dance and comedy.
The charity supports the families of children with special educational needs and disabilities in H&F.
Chief executive Nandini Ganesh said there was enormous pride in the difference Parentsactive has made, explaining:
For families with children with disabilities or special educational needs, it's not always an easy road so we feel very happy we can support them. That gives us a lot of happiness and we're very proud of what we've achieved over the years. But we always want to do more and improve the system."
Coffee mornings, training events, conferences, advocacy and peer support all provide help for families who can feel isolated, adds Nandini.
"The idea is to provide valuable support, information and advice that can make the lives of parents a bit easier," she says. "It is about helping them feel less alone with facing challenges."
The special event on 21 May saw more than 60 attendees gather at Riverside Studios to share in the success of Parentsactive.
A moving performance from Royal College of Music violinist Megumi Rolfe was among entertainment, which also included comedy from Josephine Lacey – AKA Autism Mama – and a workshop with west London community charity DanceWest.
Community hero
Parentsactive originally began life as an informal parents' group before being adopted under the HF Mencap umbrella in 2003.
Growing over the years, the organisation recently became a Community Interest Company (CIC) in its own right, with its work recognised at this year's H&F Civic Honours Awards.
The free-to-join forum now has more than 480 members, who have chance to meet other families, attend talks with council staff, share their views, and take part in training and fun events.
"Parents look forward to the group support, with other parents helping give them solutions, as well as receiving training they would have otherwise had to pay for," points out Nandini.
There are even one-to-one advice surgeries held with support from the council at The Stephen Wiltshire Centre, in Fulham's Queensmill Road – which opened in 2018 as a purpose-built specialist centre for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families.
Decades of care
Having moved to a mix of face-to-face and online sessions during the Covid pandemic, Nandini adds that recently-launched Whatsapp groups have also proved popular with families looking for real-time support.
"Families might join when their children are four years old and we see them progress over the years, which is lovely," adds Nandini.
"Success means different things, so that might be finishing college, going into work or living independently with the support of carers. We'd love to see even more positive outcomes for families."
To find out more visit Parentsactive's website.
