Our excellent Brentwood charity SNAP – Special Needs and Parents – is growing apace, as I found out when I visited CEO Karen Boath and Chairman Mandy Carr last week.
The SNAP Centre was buzzing with pre-school children and their parents taking part in a cheerful singing and playing session downstairs, while would-be volunteers were being shown around upstairs, so the day-to-day work is thriving.
There is no doubt SNAP provides immense support to parents whose children have been diagnosed with autism, or serious illnesses and disabilities. There are huge adjustments to be made to family life in so many cases, and the opportunity to be able to spend a couple of hours at an activity where staff fully understand the diverse needs of each child is welcome by so many parents. Karen and Mandy made it clear even the chance for parents to have a cup of tea and a quiet chat for an hour can feel empowering.
SNAP has grown immensely since it was formed and is looking to expand further. I’ll be bringing the work the charity does to the attention of the Children’s Minister, Claire Coutinho, along with an invitation for the Minister to visit Brentwood and met the staff, parents and children of SNAP first hand.
Last week’s visits in the constituency also included a question and answer session with the sixth form politics students at Becket Keys School, before a bracing walk up Sawyers Hall Lane to see the progress being made in the spectacular new Sawyers Hall Church building project. Sawyers Hall Church is magnificent in its outreach, providing a base for the Brentwood Street Pastors and the Frontline charity.
Church leader Peter Jordan, and fundraiser Annabelle Panesar showed me round the building site which will offer facilities to train people with learning disabilities in professional kitchens, a foyer café and a large auditorium for services and events. It won’t be ready for the traditional cakes and BBQ stand at the Brentwood Half Marathon this year, but should be able to welcome its congregation to Christmas services this year. I look forward to seeing the finished building, and meet more of the people who do such wonderful community work in Brentwood.
