BUDE community group, Hi-5TalkTimeCafe is celebrating with a Party on June 11 after being awarded £5,350 in National Lottery funding to support its work with families and their pre-school children with additional needs in Cornwall and Devon.

The weekly ‘Pop Up’ Tuesday café is based at London House, 35 The Strand, Bude, EX23 8RA.

The money will be used for the development of their service to these families including providing specialised sensory equipment, Makaton signing, baby massage courses and Information Hub.

The group was started in January 2017 by Carolyn Slingsby, Maria Sturt and Jan Taylor who all had living experience of additional needs within their own families, two losing their children 30 years ago and one currently bringing up her 15-year-old Downs Syndrome grandson following his mum’s death.

They realised there was nowhere for parents and carers to have some precious ‘their time’ and respite which all three would have welcomed themselves all those years ago. They now have eight volunteers supporting the cafe.

The group began with one family and now supports a dozen from both Cornwall and Devon.

The weekly Tuesday café is not a playgroup but a safe and non-judgmental environment in which parents/carers can chat/laugh/cry/share information over a cuppa and lovely homemade cake for a couple of hours (10.30am to 12.30pm) in term time whilst watching their children enjoy exploring the sensory equipment and toys.

There is no charge, just £1 per adult is requested towards refreshments. An invaluable ‘Information Hub’ table is available from which parents can take information or add to from any of their own experience. Makaton singing and signing and baby massage are a regular feature.

A spokesperson for the group said: “One of the keys to this growing group is that no formal Diagnosis is required. The other important key is the very warm welcome for anyone who would like to step over the doorstep and see for themselves what Hi-5TalkTimeCafe is all about.

“The group has a great family atmosphere with friendships being formed between the parents, carers, volunteers and amongst the children. New families are always very welcome as well as mums/dads, whose children have now gone on to their special needs school and need some of that ‘me time’ for a couple of hours.”

The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will sustain the group for the coming year whilst we also work on an ambitious exciting new expansion plan to meet future needs. Watch this space!

The spokesperson added: “Thank you National Lottery Players for helping spread more enjoyment and support amongst our lovely families!”