A fundraising Coffee Morning for Crocus Special Needs Association will be held at Wellington Presbyterian Church, Ballymena on Saturday 14th October 2017.
It will run from 10.00am-12.30pm. Admission is £3 with every penny going towards this fantastic organisation.
Crocus has now been helping children and young people with special needs and their families for over 14 years.
According to its Mission Statement: ‘Crocus Special Needs Association is a Christian based voluntary organisation which values and supports people with disabilities, their families and carers, by demonstrating through word and deed God’s great love, compassion and care for everyone.’
It was founded in September 2003 by the late Anne Arnold from Ahoghill, County Antrim. It’s aim, to address the lack of facilities and services for young people with disabilities including their families & carers.
The name ‘Crocus’ was derived from the Scripture verse Isaiah 35 v 1 which says, “…the wilderness will rejoice and blossom, like the crocus, it will burst into bloom”. This verse is about hope and Anne felt that this was what the Association is to be about. Giving hope to people of all ages who have a disability, their family and carers.
Crocus Special Needs Association is a registered charity which currently operates several initiatives.
- ‘SNAPS’ (Special Needs And Parents Support) group meets in Tullygarley Community Centre. This held from 10:00am to 12:00 noon on Wednesdays (term time) for toddlers and/or parents support.
- A youth club held at Galgorm Community Centre, Ballymena from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. This is on the second and fourth Friday nights of each month, (term time) for young people aged 11 years upwards.
Revealing a little more about what happens there, a Crocus spokesperson said;
“We have a varied programme at the Youth Club where the members enjoy movie nights, line dancing, ten pin bowling and occasionally making jewellery.
We have a family night with a Christmas Buffet and Disco in December, just before Christmas.
There is also our annual snooker tournament and flower arranging competition with cups presented for the winners and runners up of both at our annual formal dinner.”
Anyone who comes to Crocus over the next few months can look forward to the following treats:
- Friday 13th October 2017 – Jewellery Making & Snooker
- Friday 27th October 2017 – Ballymena Cinema Night
- Friday 10th November 2017 – Karaoke Night
- Friday 24th November 2017 – Ten Pin Bowling, The Jet Centre, Coleraine.
Meet at Galgorm Community Centre at 6:30pm. Bus departs at 6:45pm sharp. Return at approximately 9:45pm – 10:00pm. - Friday 8th December 2017 – Family Christmas Buffet with special guest and Disco.
- A Turkey weight guess event, from 24th November to 15th December 2017.
You can find more information about Crocus Special Needs Association on their website here. Contact them by email: crocus-sna@hotmail.co.uk. You can also find them on Facebook here.