North donors save trust for autism

Dec 21 2008 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

A PIONEERING charity which faced collapse because of a growing cash crisis has been saved from closure, its founder has revealed.

The Toby Henderson Trust has provided vital support to hundreds of families of children with autism since it first opened its doors in Northumberland six years ago.

Lesley Henderson, who named it after her autistic son Toby — now 15 — feared this year could be its final year of operation when a lack of donations and grants meant soaring overheads could not be met.

Yet since revealing the financial problems the charity faced, the community has rallied round and made sure its long-term future is now safe.

Lesley said: “The doors are fully open and they’ll be staying open.

“We haven’t had any massive windfalls and there haven’t been any huge cash injections or anything like that, but there has just been a general raising of awareness that we need people’s support.

“Donations have been so much more consistent.

“People are thinking differently about us . . . we are a small group of people providing an incredible service that we need to keep, so families have really got behind us.

“The two big fundraising events we hold each year were much better supported this year. Our ladies’ night had 400 people — that’s 100 people more than last year — and our annual ball was a sellout.”

Lesley, 49, set up the trust, which was a Sunday Sun Champion of the North award-winner in 2006, in a derelict farm building in Stannington, near Morpeth, following research she did after Toby was first diagnosed with autism as a toddler.

The trust helps children, their parents and professionals develop a better understanding of the condition by offering advice on matters such as speech and language therapy as well as providing a social gathering place for the youngsters.

Over the last two years Lesley has had to reduce her full-time workforce from 12 to six years because of a 35 per cent rise in insurance costs and a drop in donations which has left the trust struggling to meet the £5000-a-month overheads.

Annual rent is set to go up by £1000 next year, but Lesley says the community’s generosity means they should be able to tackle increases.

Lesley said: “We can look forward to Christmas and the new year . . . it’s onwards and upwards for us now, thanks to the community at large.

To make a donation visit the website at www.ttht.co.uk or send donations to The Toby Henderson Trust, Whitehouse Farm Centre, Stannington, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 6AW.