Campaign Victory! 81 Supporters, 49 Surveys, and New Summer Spaces Open

Hi everyone,
Thanks to your incredible support, our petition has hit 81 signatures and we have collected 49 completed parent surveys!
Our collective pressure has successfully forced West Berkshire Council to make immediate changes for this summer.
 
🏆 Our Wins So Far:
New Clubs Added: Booking slots for Make/Sense Theatre and Chance to Dance - which are fully trained for autism, neurodiversity, and higher needs - are finally live on the portal.
Direct Help: The Council has manually stepped in behind the scenes to unlock funding and extra staff for families who were previously locked out.
 
⚠️ THE NEXT STEP: Use Them or Lose Them!
The Council has sent nearly £90,000 in central holiday grants back to the government unspent over the last two years. We cannot let them use 'low attendance' as an excuse to cut back the special needs budget for next year.
The local demand is huge: the new tech sessions with Next Thing Education are ALREADY completely full. Because this camp was actually local (at Hermitage Primary School in Thatcham), it sold out instantly. This proves that families want these clubs, they just need them to be nearby.
It also shows how much easier it is for more able children to get spaces, while children with higher and more complex needs continue to face barriers. They would benefit massively from a permanent, centralised special needs hub, a familiar, local place designed to support them safely. To keep proving our overall community demand, we must make sure all the other open sessions get fully booked up too.
 
📊 Live Spaces Left Right Now:
🌳 Wild Pioneers Forest Camp (Tilehurst, Reading Borders): For a mixture of needs. 16th July (10 left) | 23rd July AM (8 left) | 23rd July PM (8 left) | 24th July AM (6 left) | 24th July PM (7 left).
🎭 Open Sensory Days with Make/Sense Theatre (Ages 4–11): For higher needs/autism. Mon 27th July (5 left) | Fri 31st July (5 left) | Mon 3rd Aug (4 left) | Fri 7th Aug (5 left) | Mon 10th Aug (4 left) | Fri 14th Aug (4 left) | Mon 24th Aug (4 left).
🎭 Musical Theatre Week with Make/Sense Theatre (Ages 10–18): For higher needs/autism. the whole 5-day course (17th–21st August).
💃 Activity Camp with Chance to Dance (27th–31st July): For higher needs/autism. Mon 27th (6 left) | Tue 28th (4 left) | Wed 29th (4 left) | Thu 30th (5 left) | Fri 31st (3 left).
(🚨 Note the travel barrier: While the tech camp was local, every single one of these remaining open theatre, forest, and dance camps is over on the borders of Reading).
 
🛠️ How to Claim Your Space Right Now:
Registered with Swings & Smiles? They are not on the public portal. Please contact them directly right now to check their private holiday availability.
Eligible for Free School Meals? Log into your online voucher portal and secure these remaining slots immediately.
Have an EHCP but don't get Free School Meals? You can still get a fully funded place. Email the coordinator, Hannah Lee, directly at hannah.lee1@westberks.gov.uk or call 01635 551111 to claim your slot.
Let’s fill every space, keep sharing the link, and push past 100 signatures before I stand up to speak at the Full Council meeting on 16 July!
Thank you,
Keren Ben-David Rostholder