Children with disabilities and their families will receive help and support thanks to Durham Freemasons

29/4/2025

Hundreds of local children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and their families from across the North-East will receive help and support thanks to a grant from Durham Freemasons.

The £59,000 grant will support Grace House in Sunderland in providing work experience opportunities and structured youth group sessions for the children and young people, as well as supporting a work experience and youth group coordinator who will support and assist the children/young people and their families. The programme will focus on young people with disabilities, offering a wide range of work experience opportunities and youth group activities in a safe environment, that improve and impact their emotional and social wellbeing whilst providing support on issues that negatively impact young people with disabilities.
Many families find there is little statutory support for their disabled child or young person (0 to 25) and experience inequalities like dealing with isolation, insufficient access to information and a lack of workplace opportunities. The families come from Sunderland and surrounding areas, which the Office for National Statistics highlights as having high levels of deprivation and rising disability rates, according to Census data. Sunderland also has a high number (2,463) of children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), with 883 aged 11-15 and 569 aged 16-19. In addition, Sunderland has higher rates of those with an ASD diagnosis compared to the national average.
Statistics also show that those with a disability are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes and have shorter life expectancies than the general population. The funding from Durham Freemasons will also make a significant difference in the lives of children and their families by providing specialised assistance through a dedicated Family Support Coordinator. The Family Support Coordinator will also work closely with our families to address other issues that impact them and their young people including social exclusion, lack of access to essential services relating to education and employment, as well as financial and emotional strain, thus providing tailored support for each child and family, helping them to have access to appropriate services to meet their needs.

The grant from Durham Freemasons comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.
Grace House, Chief Executive Officer, Lee Crosby, said:
“We’re very grateful to Durham Freemasons for their generous grant. The funding will greatly enhance our ability to deliver inclusive youth activities and to appoint a dedicated Family Support Worker. This support represents a vital investment in the well-being of young people and families, particularly those living with disabilities. It will enable us to provide tailored support, promote inclusion, and strengthen connections within our community.”
Clinton Leeks from Durham Freemasons said:
“I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help Grace House with their hugely important programme helping children with special educational needs and disabilities. This wonderful charity makes a huge difference to the families who sacrifice so much to help children with disabilities.”

Durham Freemasons Robin Middleton, Bobby Hann, and David Shouksmith, led by Clinton Leeks, spent the day pulling weeds with Lee Crosby of Grace House supervising.