Appeal launched to help vandal-hit Wellingborough company open ‘much-needed’ neurodiversity hub

An online appeal has been launched to help a pioneering Wellingborough-based community interest company deliver essential help to young people and adults with neurodiverse conditions.

Neurodiversity expert Jannine Perryman has appealed for the public’s help to raise £16,000 to refurbish a building in Silver Street.

It was recently targeted by vandals, causing the delay to the opening of a base for ADHD WISE UK to deliver training, coaching, counselling and occupational therapy for learners with additional needs.

Jannine said: “We’ve been providing support and services to people with neurodiverse conditions across the UK since September 2016 under the name ADHD WISE UK, and have long since had a dream to open a neurodiversity hub where those with conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, tics and Tourette’s can be provided with support from people who know what it is like to live with these challenges.”

Vandals smashed the glass door of the building earmarked for use by Jannine and her team, giving them no option but to have to pay for repairs.

She said: “We were forced to pay for repairs and have been given no option but to install CCTV. When added to our original costs of refurbishing the building so that it is fit for use, it all mounts up and we need help to be able to deliver our services from a central base.

“Having a base will help us to deliver community projects and life skills for people with neurodiverse conditions, for example money workshops. There is so much we want to be able to do for our neurodiverse community.

“We will be offering an array of services, events and courses that people can book onto. We receive no central funding and nationally there are only four local authorities that fund our services to support their constituents. Unfortunately, Northamptonshire is not currently one of them but we do hope to change that.

“We are here to earn a living not a killing. Our prices reflect this and options are available to help everyone who needs our support but first we need yours.”

Without access to specialist help, Jannine believes more children are at risk of being excluded from school.

Government statistics show that children with additional needs are less likely to attend school regularly. Pupils with an SEN statement or education healthcare (EHC) plan had a persistent absence rate of 24.6 per cent – more than twice the rate of students with no identified SEN (0.9 per cent).

She added: “A lack of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) training for new and experienced teachers, a limited professional experience of attendance difficulties and an ever changing, narrowing curriculum coupled with constraints on time and resources can mean that children do not receive the early interventions they need.

“When it comes to poor attendance schools and local authorities need to be looking beyond the absence for the reason behind it asking, ‘why are they refusing to attend school? Or ‘why are they unable to attend?’

“Schools have clear, high expectations for attendance so persistent absence is a clear cause for concern, not only for the school and Ofsted, but for the child’s educational outcomes.”

ADHD WISE UK offers a range of expert services and support for children and adults all over the country with an extensive range of conditions including ADHD, autism, and dyslexia.

Skills training, coaching and counselling can be provided for individuals and families as well as screening for children and adults.

To support ADHD WISE UK in their fundraising mission click on their Crowdfunding page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ndhubnorthants.To find out more information about ADHD WISE UK visit: https://www.adhdwise.uk or email [email protected] or call 01933 222940.