Families First (North East)

The organisation was started in March 1988 by an inspirational woman named Wendy McLoughlin under the initial name "Hartlepool Toy Library." Due to the fact that she had a daughter who had cerebral palsy and realised there was a lack of assistance for those who needed them most, Wendy was enthusiastic about helping children with disabilities. Wendy opened a toy library and family gathering place in an effort to fill the gap in services, and it immediately gained a lot of traction. The group had more than 400 members after just one year. Wendy then focused on making the service mobile, creating a Playbus that toured Hartlepool for almost 25 years after that. On the right is a photo of the first Playbus. The Wendy continued to establish a HealthBus, Special Needs Afterschool Club, and Recycled Arts project during the next years. The trustees named Paul Thompson as our current Chief Executive when Wendy departed in 2007. Since Paul's appointment, the organisation has broadened its scope of offerings to focus on providing support for people with autism, impairments, and extra needs. Through our 17 services, we now provide assistance to over 450 people annually, benefiting over 1500 people overall. Additionally, we keep hearing from families and are now working to satisfy their needs in the North East of England. What's next ? Who can say? But along the road, we'll have fun:).