A north-east charity which provides specialist intervention for children living with autism has been backed by Newcastle Greyhound Stadium to mark its 25th anniversary.
Founded in 2001, The Toby Henderson Trust supports autistic children – plus their families and carers – through tailored therapies, communication support and guidance at its two centres in Bedlington and South Shields.
The charity has worked with tens of thousands of families, children, adolescents and adults since its creation, with help from a team of more than 25 experienced practitioners, support specialists, therapists and a range of other clinicians.
It is the brainchild of founder turned CEO Lesley Henderson, whose youngest son – Toby – was diagnosed with autism aged five.
Toby’s situation led Lesley to America, where she enrolled into an intensive four-day programme delivered by the Son Rise Institute so she could develop the skills required to support her son’s development pre-diagnosis.
Her trip, and the support provided, inspired The Toby Henderson Trust which opened its first centre in November 2001.
“The rest is history,” said Lesley.
“There have been so many special memories in those 25 years.
“Children have spoken their first words and uttered their first sentences with the support of our team – those moments are absolutely priceless and make the relentless work all worthwhile.”
To mark the Trust’s 25th anniversary, its team will host a Silver Jubilee Ball at The Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park, on Friday, May 1, featuring a drinks reception, three-course meal, live music and a charity auction.
Newcastle Greyhound Stadium has thrown its support behind the ball by pledging prizes to be used in the auction, and offering space for the charity’s team to use for various events it hosts.
Lesley said: “We’re really grateful to the support from Newcastle Greyhound Stadium.
“Running a charity presents constant challenges from a resource and financial point of view, because there are so many wonderful people in our community doing fantastic work to help others.
“We are a niche operation, but we know the work our team delivers changes lives for the better.”
Ian Walton, General Manager at Newcastle Stadium, added: “Everyone in the north-east will know someone whose life has been positively impacted by The Toby Henderson Trust.
“It is well documented how adults living with autism face barriers to inclusion, such as higher rates of unemployment, poorer mental health and social isolation.
“We hope this small gesture can help contribute to making a big difference to reversing these trends locally, and look forward to working closely with the Trust’s team in its 25th anniversary year.”
Further information about The Toby Henderson Trust and its work is available online via www.ttht.co.uk.
