Tameside Charity Cancels Christmas Events Amid Office Future Uncertainty

For two decades, a charity has organized unique Christmas parties for children with additional needs, offering a tranquil and secure environment for festive enjoyment. However, Our Kids Eyes (OKE), located in Tameside, announced that this twenty-year tradition would not proceed this year. The charity stated it was compelled to cancel its holiday events due to ambiguity surrounding the future of its office, situated within a council building. Claire Hannah, a parent whose family receives assistance from the charity, reported that her 11-year-old son, who has attended the parties for most of his life, was “absolutely devastated.” The council informed the BBC that the charity’s office remained “still available under the same ongoing arrangements.” Operated by parent volunteers, the small charity functions from the Jubilee Gardens community health centre in Droylsden. This facility is shared with other support organizations and the council’s Children with Disabilities team. Elaine Healey, representing the charity, informed BBC Radio Manchester that in August, other council employees at the health centre were instructed to clear their desks in anticipation of vacating the premises, a relocation that ultimately did not occur. According to a council spokeswoman, this discussion was an internal matter between employer and employees regarding rotating their work base with an alternative council site, and it would not impact other groups using the space. However, Ms. Healey stated that when she inquired with Tameside Council about OKE’s potential need to vacate the hub, she received no reply. This lack of assurance regarding their office space, which is essential for the extensive planning involved in organizing the Christmas party, prompted OKE staff to make the difficult choice to cancel their winter events. The charity acknowledged that the party cancellations have caused “great upset” among parents but asserted it had no alternative, citing “no certainty on whether we’re going to be here tomorrow, next week, or next year, we can’t plan ahead.” Ms. Hannah mentioned that her son Anton, currently 11, has attended the “godsend” event since he was three years old. “He’s able to be part of something in an environment where he feels welcome, he can meets Father Christmas, and do disco dancing with no judgement,” she stated. The single parent from Audenshaw described the event as “part of our Christmas,” further explaining that she and her son “can’t go to other places” because those venues are not appropriate for his specific needs. She reported that Anton, who has autism, was crestfallen upon learning that the event would not proceed this year. “I said I’ll try and find something else , but I don’t know what we can actually do, we feel alienated elsewhere, excluded,” she further commented. Melanie Wallwork, residing in Ashton, described the OKE party as “phenomenal” for her five-year-old son, Jake, who is non-verbal and has complex needs. She indicated that taking him to alternative Christmas events, such as visiting Santa in a shopping centre, had been “impossible.” “He struggles with the lights, the noise the sound, it’s too much stimuli,” she elaborated. Ms. Wallwork noted that OKE carefully selected toys for each child’s specific needs and customized the event to ensure all children “came away happy.” Ms. Healey explained that preparing for the event was an “all year endeavour,” akin to “planning five weddings,” and included wrapping “thousands of presents.” “Here, they can have a meal and not have to worry about general public, and anyone accepting them or judging them,” she further stated. Ms. Healey confirmed that OKE continues to provide support, advice signposting, support groups, and other family activities for SEN parents, but they have been “planning it month-month” and “playing it safe” pending official assurances. This situation arises amidst a period of upheaval within the council, stemming from deficiencies in its Children Services department which resulted in the resignations of senior leaders. A spokesperson for Tameside Council affirmed that the site remains accessible to the charity and that “nothing has changed,” adding that any decisions regarding future alterations to the building’s use would be communicated. “We have reached out to OKE to offer support to make sure that there are great opportunities for children to celebrate Christmas,” the spokesperson concluded.