NHS therapist runs Marathon to raise funds for SEND LEGO Club in Salford

An NHS therapist is running the Manchester Marathon with the hope of raising funds to open a club for SEND children in Salford.

NHS speech and language therapist, Dawn Fenton will be taking on the challenge on 16th April to provide much-needed stimulating care, in the form of a LEGO Club in Salford.

Ms Fenton has a clinical specialism in autism, and has worked with children with social communication and SEND (Special educational needs and disabilities) needs for many years.

She said: “There are big gaps in opportunities for children with neurodevelopmental needs to have access to social community leisure opportunities.

“Sometimes the needs that they have can mean that it’s difficult for them to access some things that are ordinarily available within the community.

“And that obviously can have quite a significant impact on their wellbeing and mental health.”

Ms Fenton is hoping this club will be a safe space for SEND children to relax, and allow them to completely be themselves. She says this will in turn: “support their wellbeing and their inclusion within the community.”

According to research, playing with LEGO has benefits for children with SEND. She said: “In terms of developing creativity and developing kind of a range of different skills, for children with autism or neurodevelopmental needs. I guess there’s positive then that you can follow a plan so that can kind of help them, encourage their thinking.

“LEGO can be sociable in nature. You kind of work in a team, so certainly children and young people with social interaction needs, it can support that.

“If you think about it from an interaction point of view, just that play and playing together supports language and supports communication skills.”

The Many Benefits of Playing with LEGO by Catherine Earle

There is also an additional benefit to LEGO Club, as it could not only be great for children, but could also be a helpful opportunity for parents. Ms Fenton said: “Parents are meeting other parents who might have a child with additional needs, and then are sharing their experiences.

“It’s also an opportunity as a parent care support network too.

“Thinking about that strand of it as an additional benefit, in terms of wellbeing that parents have opportunity to share their experiences and seek that support from other parents who may well be experiencing what they’re experiencing.”

Ms Fenton is working with the NorthCare Charity to start this club, which is a charity which helps the Northern Care Alliance (NCA) Foundation Trust to deliver care for the community across Salford, Bury, Oldham, and Rochdale.

Dawn, from the Children’s Community Team, @SalfordCO_NHS, will be running the #ManchesterMarathon for a new Lego Club for children with neurodevelopmental needs! Donate to her fundraising page ➡️ https://t.co/FayfgPyqs8

Inspired? Sign up yourself at https://t.co/9wTjl6hsUa! 🏃 pic.twitter.com/Z7KrtXA3Lv

— NorthCare Charity 💙 (@NCareCharity) February 24, 2023

Communications and Marketing Officer at NorthCare Charity, Ruqaiyah Hafeji-Iqbal, said: “We ask [NHS] staff to approach us about services or projects that go above and beyond standard NHS funding, and then we support them to fundraise or help provide funds to bring those projects to life.

“All the funds that are donated to Dawn’s Just Giving page come under the care of the charity, but then we support Dawn and her team.”

Ms Fenton is an avid runner, she said: “I do a lot of running, I’ve never done the Manchester Marathon, so I just wanted to do my home city marathon.

“I did the Manchester half marathon in October, so just kind of carried on from there.

Though they are currently raising funds to start their initial LEGO Club, they are hoping to make this a larger project, and set up a club in each locality of Salford.

Ms Fenton said: “Part of the fundraising is that longer term plan to make sure that it’s available to all children and families who want to go, so that we have that as a wider opportunity for children to access when they need it and for different age groups.”

There are currently clubs in Eccles, Swinton, Walkden and Pendleton.

“At the moment, it’s very much the plan to do it for primary school age children, but children in secondary school may also have that need. Adults may also have that need.

“It’s really about thinking about a longer term, how can we make this, something that we can grow and develop so that it’s accessible to anybody who needs or wants it.”

Fundraising Officer at NorthCare Charity, Jessica Pollard, is Ms Fenton’s NorthCare fundraising link. She is supporting Ms Fenton throughout this whole journey, and is making sure everything runs smoothly.

Ms Pollard said: “So it might just be one LEGO Club to start with, but then it would be great to see more pop up and you know, really go above and beyond for the community.

“Who knows if it takes off and it’s a bigger project. It could be a Lego project appeal or something like that from the charity.”

You can donate to Ms Fenton’s LEGO Club Just Giving page, and once the LEGO Club has started it will need volunteers, so if you are interested in that click here. Also, if you are feeling inspired and want to get involved yourself, find out more information here.