A Whitby SEND charity has been ‘inundated’ with offers of support after its planned closure was raised with the Prime Minister in Parliament.
Whitby InterActive, which has provided play schemes and activities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities for more than two decades, announced plans to close by Christmas due to a funding shortfall.
However, after local MP Alison Hume raised the issue with Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week, the charity said it had been “inundated” with offers of support and had relaunched a fundraiser in the hope that it can continue its work in the community.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday (Oct 16), MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Ms Hume, said the charity had been “a lifeline for families” for 26 years but was due to close due to a funding shortfall.
She asked the prime minister if he agreed that “action to tackle the crisis in SEND provision is urgently needed and that charities, such as InterActive, deserve our support more than ever?”
Sir Keir Starmer said he agreed and that he knew it was “a concerning time for families who rely on the brilliant work of Whitby InterActive”.
The prime minister added:
“Children with special educational needs and disabilities have been failed for too long and it comes up repeatedly in the House, with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve.
“We must raise the standards for every child so that they can succeed in education – we will fix the foundations and ensure that every child can achieve their potential.”
Whitby InterActive’s service started in 1998 as an inclusive play scheme and has since grown and also offers parents and guardians with children with a disability or special educational needs an opportunity to meet others in the same position.
After receiving national attention in parliament, the charity said on Friday that it had been
“inundated with messages of support, interview requests, and enquiries on where to donate”.
A new fundraiser with a target of £25,000 has been launched after £5,000 was previously raised.
WhitbyInteractive’s funding shortfall comes as many local education authorities struggle to cope with the financial constraints of SEND provision.
Earlier this month, Revitalise, the UK’s leading provider of respite holidays for severely disabled people announced it would close due to “insurmountable” financial challenges.
WhitbyInteractive, which currently supports 40 children who have disabilities and special needs, asked for donations to its new fundraiser and for it to be shared widely.
A link to the JustGiving fundraising page can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sean-kirk-3
Alison Hume spoke to This is the Coast from Westminster after Wednesday's PMQ's and told Matthew Pells more about the charities situation..
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