About us
Independent
We are an independent parent run group for children with special needs and their parents/carers. We run a weekly play session for the under 5's and/or their siblings every Thursday 10-12 during term time in the Barton Primary School After School Club room.
Coffee, chat and play
Parents/carers can enjoy a coffee and chat whilst the children play with some of the many lovely toys available. The children enjoy their own snack time and also taking part in the singing and signing session, often with musical instruments, at the end of the morning. Parents of older children with special needs are also invited to pop in for a coffee and share their latest news or chat to new parents.
Toys and books to borrow
All of the group's toys and books are available to borrow, on short or longer term loan, by any family with a special needs child under 5. We also have more specific special needs toys and equipment available for lending many of which can be significantly beyond the average family budget. Click here to go to the toys and books to lend pages.
Website
We hope the website will become a useful means of sharing information as well as letting people know we are here. If you have any information which you think would be useful to other parents, please email us at iwtlopgroup@hotmail.co.uk.
Our history
Newport Ladies Circle/Red Cross "Toy Library"
The group was originally established in 1972 by the Newport Ladies Circle. It was set up as a library to enable parents of children with special needs to borrow toys. It then became the "Red Cross Toy Library" which was run by Alice Turner and Beryl Copeland of the LEA's special needs pre-school home teaching and family support service at the time, along with the help of many long serving volunteers. It became much more than just a toy library, with a busy play session being held each week as well as parents getting together over a coffee to chat and share experiences. As many as 30 different families regularly attended from all across the Island.
Independent registered charity
In 1999, due to a change in Red Cross administrative policy, the group could no longer continue under the Red Cross Charity "umbrella". It then became an independent parent run group and registered as a charity in its own right. Its name, "The Isle of Wight Toy Library and Opportunity Group" recognised the extended role it was now playing beyond that of just lending toys.
A weekly session at the Red Cross Toy Library
A Christmas Party at Red Cross Toy Library
Move to Barton Primary
In 2002, a further change in Red Cross group policy meant that we had to look for new premises. A campaign was launched and very fortunately we were rescued by the then head of Barton Primary: "Jeanie" to all. She offered us the use of the Barton After School Club room and storage facilities for the toys. We are still here some 6 years later and are also lucky that during our time here the room has been substantially updated with a kitchen and disabled toilet facilties added. We continue to be thankful for the permission to use this lovely room from the current head Mrs Karen Wales, and the friendliness of all the Barton staff. It provides a great setting for the weekly play session.
Changes over time
Times have changed since the Red Cross Toy Library days: in many more families both parents are working and the change in free pre-school sessions for those over 3 mean more children will be in pre-school on a Thursday morning. This has had an effect on the numbers attending the group which have significantly reduced, but we remain committed to keeping the weekly play session running. However, we recognised that in order to reach those families unable to attend each week we needed to find another way and we hope this website will be it as it develops over the fullness of time.
Extension of the role of the group
The extension of the group to parents/carers of school aged children is also another change to the Red Cross Toy Library days. We hope that these parents/carers will continue to visit the group to give support to new parents/carers but also to continue to receive support themselves. This is especially important where parents/carers find themselves facing new challenges as their child attends mainstream school and may be the only or the first child with that particular need in that school Some parents can find this quite an isolating or daunting experience and it is very helpful to talk to parents who have previously experienced the situation.
Future
We hope that IWTLOG will continue to make a difference to families of children with special needs on the Island for many more years to come. Any support you can give us in this aim will be very gratefully received!
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