Member Article

Teesside charity launches dyspraxia support group

A Teesside charity is launching a new support group which aims to help young people affected by dyspraxia.

Roseberry Community Consortium has set up Dyspraxia Support Group which will offer assistance and a wealth of support for anyone in the region, aged between 13 and 25, suffering from the condition.

Pritthijit Datta, the brains behind this new group, suffers from dyspraxia himself and has been a trustee of the Stockton-based charity for five years.

He said: “The support group will give members the opportunity to share their experiences with others who are also affected by dyspraxia and also help to build their confidence levels and social skills.

“There will be numerous activities which members can get involved in, ranging from art to one-on-one sessions, workshops and more.

“The charity has gone from strength to strength and we would like to see this continue by getting as many people involved with the support group as we can.”

Dyspraxia is a life-long condition which specifically affects a person’s co-ordination. It is thought to affect around 3% of adults in the UK and is more common in men.

Pritthijit - who was diagnosed with dyspraxia at a young age - has played a pivotal role in moving the charity forward but believes the condition is still misunderstood.

He said: “I hope the support group will help us raise awareness of dyspraxia across the Tees Valley and also help not only those affected by it, but also the people around them.

“Our aim is to educate people so they get a better understanding of the condition.”

Roseberry Community Consortium was established in 2009 and offers guidance for disadvantaged young people across the Tees Valley through numerous projects, including music tuition, dancing, heritage, education and life skills.

The charity also runs a horticultural project, Plot to Plate, which is transforming a once derelict piece of land between Stockton and Middlesbrough, into a vibrant garden and horticulture resource.

“Plot to Plate encourages young people to think about healthy eating and wellbeing and also aims to help members build their self-confidence,” said Pritthijit.

“It’s a fantastic project and we’re hoping the area will become a community hub for the region.”

Roseberry Community Consortium wants to develop the Plot to Plate further and is looking for volunteers to join the project in March.

Dyspraxia Support Group will launch on Saturday 30th January at Arc, Stockton, at 1pm and is currently looking for volunteers and new members.

For more information about the forward thinking charity, or would like to become a member or volunteer of Dyspraxia Support Group, please visit: http://www.roseberrycommunityconsortium.org/index.html

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Harvey and Hugo .