Locked-up Tyrone locals hope jail time will raise £50,000

MANY innocent men and women from Moortown and surrounding areas are going to be thrown into jail – but at least it’s all for a good cause!

The crims in question will be spending a night in Crumlin Road Jail on Friday, April 21 to raise £50,000 for a purpose-built sensory room at the local Tobin Centre.

The BASE @ Tobin is a five-year programme funded by The National Lottery Community Fund.

It is designed to meet the requirements of young people up to 18-years-old with additional support needs. The programme was launched in January 2020 and caters to a total of 205 young people in the area.

The Tobin Centre is a wonderful facility but it’s missing one thing – a sensory room.

Sensory rooms and spaces can help those who have learning difficulties, developmental disabilities or impairments develop and engage their senses, in a safe environment that builds up their confidence and abilities

Having recently applied to The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) for capital funding from their Rural Social Enterprise Investment Scheme (RSEIS) for a purpose-built sensory room, the available funds will not cover the complete cost of the work at the Tobin Centre.

Therefore, to raise the shortfall in funding, 25 people – all loved ones, family and friends of children who avail of the service – will be spending a night locked up in Crumlin Road Jail, with each prisoner determined to raise £2,000 bail to make up the essential £50,000 needed to complete the project.

‘Quiet space’

“Children sometimes need a quiet space that meets their sensory needs,” explains Loretta Daly who manages the programme.

“Not only would a sensory room really complement the work we do with the children, it would also create a revenue stream to sustain The BASE @ Tobin as well as being extremely beneficial to the community as a whole.”

When built, the sensory room will be open during all activities at The BASE and will also be available for local families and the wider community to hire.

Charlene McAleer, a psychotherapist who runs Spectrum Therapies Mid Ulster, a local practice helping autism families with mental health, has two sons who avail of the services at the Tobin Centre.

Ahead of her ‘imprisonment’, Charlene said, “I’m taking part in this challenge as a thank you to the people at Tobin who have helped our sons feel included and at home at The BASE Youth Club.

“The potential of this purpose-built sensory room at Tobin centre is huge. It will make it easier for kids to be comfortable in their own skin in a world so overwhelming for them.”

If you would like to make a donation towards the much-needed sensory room at the Tobin Centre, you can donate as generously as you wish via JustGiving. Links to donate and other relevant information can be found on Facebook by searching ‘Tobin Centre Moortown’.