The Glowsticks Project

11/04/2026

✨ Youth Sessions Return — Tuesday 21st April
Our free, SEND‑friendly youth sessions are back, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone again.

We run two supportive groups, each led by our dedicated youth worker, offering a safe, inclusive space where young people can connect, grow, and feel empowered. You can book on to these sessions through Eventbrite, the links can be found below 👇

SEND Youth Club - After School 4pm - 5pm / 21st April / 7 - 15 years old
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1987194376875?aff=oddtdtcreator

SEND Youth Club - Twilight Session 5:30pm - 6:30pm / 21st April / 16 - 25 years old
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1987194504256?aff=oddtdtcreator

SEND Youth Club - After School 4pm - 5pm / 28th April / 7 - 15 years old
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1987194773060?aff=oddtdtcreator

SEND Youth Club - Twilight Session 5:30pm - 6:30pm / 28th April / 16 - 25 years old
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1987194978675?aff=oddtdtcreator

SEND friendly youth session. An awesome in-person hangout where you can chill, make new friends, and participate in enriching activities.

11/04/2026

This Saturday HAF session was bursting with creativity for our young people with SEND. Everyone got stuck into making Easter wreaths and decorating styrofoam eggs to display on skewers, and they even created their own pizza bagels — a definite favourite.

More HAF sessions are running over the Easter half‑term, and we’d love to see even more young people join us.

Tuesday 14th April
• 12pm–2pm (ages 7–15)
• 2pm–4pm (ages 16–25)

You can book a young person through the Bring It On Boro website.
If you have any questions, feel free to message our page — we’re always happy to help.

11/04/2026

Sophia has been hard at work crating “bob” the cute little cake pop coming next week to the Bakery! Look out for his “Sty”le flowing next week 🐷

11/04/2026

🐣🎉 DON’T MISS OUR GLOWSTICKS EASTER DISCO! 🎉🐣

We’re throwing another one of our inclusive Glowsticks parties and they always sell out fast! 💚✨

📅 Friday 17th April
⏰ 3:30pm – 5:30pm
💷 £2 for 1 child and 1 adult

What’s included? LOTS! 👇

🪩 Disco & dancing
🎲 Party games
🎨 Loads of Easter crafts
🏆 Prizes to be won
🎁 A present for every child
🍓 A party buffet included

🎉 A fun, safe and inclusive party atmosphere
As always, Glowsticks events are designed to be neurodivergent-friendly, with understanding staff, flexible participation and a supportive environment where children can just be themselves ♾️💚

⚠️ Places are limited and our discos usually fill quickly!

🎟️ Book your place here:

https://bookwhen.com/theglowsticksproject =ev-s8f5d-20260417153000⁠�

Come celebrate Easter the Glowsticks way! 🐰✨

10/04/2026

✨ Easter Holidays = Creativity, Fun & Food! ✨🌼

** If you dont meet the qualifying criteria for the HAF booking - please contact us on the page for details on how to access **

Join us this April for our Easter Youth Sessions as part of the HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) Programme. Three days packed with crafts, tasty treats, and good vibes for ages 7–25.

📅 Saturday 11th April
🕛 12–2pm (ages 7–15)
🕑 2–4pm (ages 16–25)
🎨 Crafts: Design your own Easter wreaths
🍕 Food: Build fruit kebabs & pizza bagels

📅 Tuesday 14th April
🕛 12–2pm (ages 7–15) *spaces limited*
🕑 2–4pm (ages 16–25)
🎨 Crafts: Make your own Easter bonnets & caps
🥚 Food: Create Rice Krispy eggs & mini‑egg cornflake nests

📲 Book your spot through ‘Bring It On Boro’
Spaces fill fast - don’t miss out on the Easter fun!

A healthy, tasty lunch is provided on every session 🍓

* Any allergies or cultural, religious beliefs, please let us know in advance *

https://eequ.org/book/27403/dates

10/04/2026

🌟 A SAFE PLACE THIS EASTER HALF TERM 🌟

** If you do not qualify for HAF, please send us a private message to enquire about booking onto any of these sessions **

🥪 Lunch is provided at all HAF sessions! 🥪

At The Glowsticks Project we know that not every child finds mainstream holiday activities easy.

Some need smaller groups.
Some need understanding staff.
Some need sensory breaks.
Some just need a place where nobody expects them to mask.

That’s why we built Glowsticks 💚

This Easter we have a range of sessions for toddlers, children and young people with Autism & ADHD, HAF funded places and our Easter Disco available.

🌈 SEND Stay & Play (Ages 4–7)

📅 Wednesday 15th April
⏰ 1pm – 3pm
📅 Thursday 16th April
⏰ 1pm – 3pm

📍 Book here:
https://eequ.org/book/27403/dates

🎉 EASTER DISCO (Ages 4–16) 🎉

📅 Friday 17th April
⏰ 3:30pm – 5:30pm

✨ Disco dancing
🎲 Party games
🎨 Crafts
🎁 Party bag for every child
💛 Presents included

📍 Book here:
https://bookwhen.com/theglowsticksproject⁠�

🌟 HAF Easter Youth Sessions

📅 Tuesday 7th April
📅 Saturday 11th April
📅 Tuesday 14th April
⏰ 12–2pm (Ages 7–15)
⏰ 2–4pm (Ages 16–25)

Activities include:

🎨 Crafts
🍓 Food making
🐣 Easter activities
💛 A supportive environment
Healthy lunch included.

📍 Book here:
https://eequ.org/book/27403/dates

💛 SEND experienced team
💛 Small supportive groups
💛 Sensory friendly approach
💛 A community that understands

Spaces are limited and booking is essential.

10/04/2026

Dont forget... our benefits meet and greet is TODAY at 12pm-4pm with Cheryl.

Come and have a cuppa and relax in our gorgeous cafe hub and get some support. 💚

09/04/2026

🎬 Just a reminder — our next accessible cinema screening is coming up! 🍿💚

• 🎥 Hoppers
• 📅 Friday 17th April
• 📍 Showcase Cinema, Teesside Park
• ⏰ Arrival: 9:45am
• ▶️ Film start: 10:00am

Our screenings are autism-friendly and fully accessible ♾️💚

✨ Lights remain dim (not fully dark)
🔉 Reduced volume
🧩 Free to move around, stim, or take breaks
🤝 No judgement, no pressure, just inclusion

A safe space where our young people can enjoy the cinema in a way that works for them 💚🌟

£5 - one adult and one child or young person
£6 - additional child/adult

🎟️ Places available now!

https://bookwhen.com/theglowsticksproject =ev-s55ee-20260417094500

09/04/2026

Our Tuesday HAF session was packed with creativity for our young people with SEND! From fuse‑bead keyrings to polymer‑clay characters, everyone got stuck in and made something unique. We wrapped up with a tasty hands‑on activity decorating fruit pops. Such a fun day!

More HAF sessions are taking place over Easter half-term. Check them out below 👇

Saturday 11th April
12pm - 2pm / (aged 7-15)
2pm - 4pm / (aged 16-25)

Tuesday 14th April
12pm - 2pm / (aged 7-15)
2pm - 4pm / (aged 16-25)

You can book a young person on through the 'bring it on boro' website. If you have any questions, feel free to message our page 😊

09/04/2026

I am so tired.

Tired of writing statements.
Tired of explaining reality.
Tired of trying to make people understand what these decisions actually do to real human beings.

Because while policies get announced in press releases and debates happen in comfortable rooms, we are the ones on the ground picking up the pieces when it all falls apart.

Every. Single. Time.

We run a charity supporting autistic and disabled people into employment. We already spend huge amounts of time holding together gaps that shouldn’t even exist. Supporting people through anxiety caused by benefit reviews. Rebuilding confidence after systems make them feel worthless. Helping families who are absolutely exhausted from fighting just to be treated fairly.

🌟 We run the charity on fumes, goodwill and a desperation to make things better. 🌟

And now we are watching that same broken system become even more broken.

The halving of the Limited Capability for Work element.
Constant threats of PIP reform hanging over people like a cloud.
Mobility support being chipped away at while transport costs rise.

These aren’t abstract policy ideas.

These are the difference between someone being able to leave their house or becoming isolated.
The difference between someone managing their mental health or falling into crisis.
The difference between someone building independence or losing it.

What people don’t seem to understand is this:

When support is cut, the need doesn’t disappear.

It just lands somewhere else.

It lands on families already at breaking point.
It lands on small charities already running on fumes.
It lands on disabled people who already feel like they have to justify their existence.

And we pick it up.
We always pick it up.

Not because we have endless capacity.
But because we refuse to let the people we support fall.

But here is the honest truth today:

I am angry that grassroots organisations like ours are expected to keep absorbing the impact of decisions we had no voice in making.

I am angry that lived experience continues to be ignored.

I am angry that the people making these decisions will never sit in the rooms we sit in when someone breaks down because they feel like society sees them as a burden.

And I am especially angry that disabled people are still being talked about like financial problems instead of human beings.

We will keep fighting. We always do.

But please don’t mistake our resilience for the system working.

It isn’t.

It’s people like us quietly stopping it from completely failing.

So here is what this actually looks like in real life.

🌟 Because while policies are being rewritten, we are opening our doors 🌟

For anyone scared about their benefits.
For anyone confused by the changes.
For anyone already feeling the pressure.

We are holding a free benefits drop-in meet and greet with Cheryl from 12pm – 4pm as we prepare to launch a full benefits support service.

Come in.
Ask questions.
Get help.
Or just sit somewhere that understands.

And yes… it’s completely FREE.

FREE because people are already struggling.
FREE because people are already choosing between essentials.
FREE because fear should never come with a price tag.

And FREE because charities like ours don’t have spare money either.

But we will still show up.
We will still open the doors.
We will still do what we always do.

Because while systems debate cost…

we deal with consequences... over and over again.