Couple make a point of helping others

A PARENTING team have been nominated for a Pride In Oldham Award for their untiring support of children with additional needs and their parents.

Andrew Robinson and Elaine Stoneman took over Parents Of Oldham In Touch (POINT) from Oldham Council in March, 2010, after they felt parents of children with additional needs were not receiving enough support.

Through personal experiences with their own son Joshua (13), who has autism, Andrew and Elaine realised parents were not being given the right help so they decided to do something about it.

As parents, they knew that with the right platform, other families would not have to go through the struggles they had experienced.

Unified

At POINT, they created a unified voice where parents would be represented, and three years on they are still making themselves heard.

Despite both working full-time, Andrew is chairman and Elaine is secretary at POINT which is run by a committee of 10 volunteers.

Held at Mahdlo, the group allows parents of children with additional needs to meet and offer advice to others in a similar situations.

They represent over 500 people in Oldham and give feedback to the council to make changes for the better.

Deborah Quinn, nominee and group member, said: “They deserve the recognition — there’s nothing else like it in Oldham.

“They offer me and my child support and give us both confidence. Parents of children with additional needs need the support that they give, they offer help and advice that we would have to struggle for elsewhere.”

Elaine, accepting the nomination on behalf of both herself and Andrew, said: “We’re so shocked and happy about this nomination. I can’t believe it — It’s so lovely.

“We first got involved because the authorities gave us a terrible experience with our own son’s education and other needs, it was a mess.

“We work with the council now and they really listen to us. We’ve built up a strong partnership and they are helping us to make a difference.

“Everyone who volunteers with us really does have an impact.”