Together We Belong

The day long gathering explored how children with additional needs can participate fully in the life of the church. As many as 1 in 5 children have an additional need of some kind.

Together We Belong was organised by the Discipleship & Ministries Learning Network, Bristol & West Midlands Region and gathered together those, who have children with additional needs alongside those with a heart for this ministry, in their local church community.

Esther Mandale, mum of Florence aged 10 who is on the autistic spectrum, gave her support and encouragement to those who were present, inviting people to simply try.

Esther told Premier “We know our children will often run around and not listen, so we aren’t expecting anything that is perfectly planned or intricately detailed, we are just so grateful if you can offer us anything that allows us to come together as a family and feel part of it.  The simplest of things, often work the best”.

If you would like to find out more about encouraging your church to be a place of belonging visit www.additionalneedsalliance.org.uk

Click below to hear Premier’s Central Correspondent Rachel Matthews in conversation with Kay Morgan Gurr from the Additional Needs Alliance.