Tanga Club is a registered charity (1190621) set up for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), their families and friends. It was founded in 2019 by a mother of two children – an Autistic son and a daughter who has no additional needs. At the time, there were no fully inclusive activities where children with and without additional needs could play together and become friends – only groups targeted towards her Autistic son or other specific conditions.
The founder invited 5 other parents to help her change this situation, and provide a safe space where all children – regardless of ability – could meet and play together without fear of judgement, and where parents and carers could get some support. The group was to be suitable for children with disabilities and also appealing to their siblings and friends. The name was derived from the Maori word for Autism, “Takiwatanga”, literally translated as “In his/her own space and time”. Tanga Club was born!
Starting with a weekly term-time youth and social group in Hexham’s TORCH Centre, the organisation quickly became a registered charity, and now it’s 400 plus members take part in all sorts of activities, including forest schools, events, trips, weekends away, quiet sessions, parent & carer support, parent & carer retreats and help and advice on all aspects of parenting young people with SEND.
People from all over the region can join Tanga Club and to our members we are known as “the Tanga Family”; no diagnosis or referral is needed to join this amazing support network.
If you would like to hear more about what we do please see our Facebook page @Tangaclubhexham, join our private group Tanga@TORCH or email info@tangafamily.co.uk
