Christmas party for special needs children cancelled amid fears council will force charity out of building

A cherished Christmas party tradition for children with special needs has been cancelled after 20 years as uncertainty looms over a charity’s future in their council building.

Our Kids Eyes (OKE), based in Tameside’s Jubilee Gardens community health centre, announced they would not be hosting their annual festive events this year for the first time in two decades.

Elaine Healey from the charity told BBC Radio Manchester that other council staff in the building had been asked to clear their desks in August – but the move to another premises never materialised.

OKE, run by parent volunteers, has been unable to plan their much-anticipated Christmas celebration due to concerns about their office space as a result – even though the council itself insists it’s “still available for OKE to use”.

When the charity sought clarification about their own future in the building, they received no response from Tameside Council.

The Christmas party, described as being like “planning five weddings,” typically requires extensive preparation and involves wrapping “thousands of presents” for children with additional needs, parents said.

One of said parents, Claire Hannah, said her 11-year-old autistic son Anton was “absolutely devastated” by the news.

“He’s able to be part of something in an environment where he feels welcome, he can meet Father Christmas, and do disco dancing with no judgement,” she said.

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The single mother from nearby Audenshaw added that she and her son “can’t go to other places” as they are not suitable for his needs.

For Melanie Wallwork from Ashton, the OKE party had been “phenomenal” for her five-year-old son Jake, who is non-verbal and has complex needs.

“He struggles with the lights, the noise the sound, it’s too much stimuli,” she explained, noting that traditional Christmas events like visiting Santa in shopping centres were “impossible” for them.

Wallwork praised how OKE hand-picked toys for each child’s specific needs and tailored the event to ensure all children “came away happy.”

But Tameside Council maintains the charity’s office space is “still available under the same ongoing arrangements.”

A council spokesman insisted that “nothing has changed” regarding the site’s availability to OKE.

And while the Christmas party may not be going ahead, the charity itself still operates on a limited basis, providing support, giving advice and hosting other family activities for special needs parents.

Healey explained they have been “planning it month-month” and “playing it safe” until they receive proper assurances about their future.

The uncertainty comes during a turbulent period for Tameside Council, which has recently faced challenges over failings in its Children Services department.

These issues have been significant enough to lead to the resignation of senior leaders within the authority.

The charity maintains they cannot commit to major events like the Christmas party without certainty about whether they’ll “be here tomorrow, next week, or next year”.

A Tameside Council spokesman told GB News: “We can confirm this space is still available for OKE to use under the same ongoing arrangements currently in place.

“Nothing has changed, therefore the council hasn’t held any conversation directly with OKE over their use of the building.

“For transparency, the Council held conversations with staff in August with a view to rotating their work base between Jubilee Gardens and Tameside One to support staff development. This was a conversation between employer and employees and did not involve or affect arrangements in place for others occupying space at Jubilee Gardens.

“Should any decision be made that changes the future use of the building, we will of course ensure any relevant conversations are held at the appropriate time.

“There are a number of fantastic events and activities to enjoy over the festive period in Tameside and we have reached out to OKE to offer support to make sure that there are great opportunities for children to celebrate Christmas.”