Last week I had the pleasure to attend the Hartlepool Special Needs Support Group who works with children with mental and/or physical disabilities to present £1,000 on behalf of Harte Lodge, HMBA & Durham Benevolence.

The Group will be celebrating 25 years of operation later this year, it was initially established by several mothers with special needs children, who used to meet in their own homes to offer each other help and support. Now, the Group has its own resource centre in Park Road, which hosts a range of activities for its members, and from which almost 90 local families benefit.

We were entertained by the children's drama group who performed two songs that they had learnt over the previous weeks.

Pat Allison, Manager and Co-ordinator, mentioned that the £600 kindly donated by Durham Benevolence would be used to fund a theatre visit in November for a group of youngsters and carers to see "The Lion King" at Sunderland Empire. As Pat explained, "Many of these young people have never been able to experience live theatre, and we thought it would be great if we could provide them with the opportunity."

Cheques for these donations were presented to Pat at the resource centre by local Masons Brian Footitt, John Thompson and John Bartram, representing the three separate masonic bodies involved. To find out more about this amazing group visit them at www.hsnsg.org.uk

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