Leeds Weekend Care Association (fondly known by our service users as Weekenders Club) started in June 1998 as a small pilot scheme, funded and managed by Scope and the National Lottery.

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The idea for the club came from a survey of parents’ opinions conducted in the late 1990s about what their greatest needs were.

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They said weekends were difficult to manage when taking care of a child with disabilities because of domestic chores, and because their siblings missed out on activities and trips due to the level of care the parents needed to provide.

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Originally, we offered half-day sessions for six children per session to provide respite for parents.

After our pilot year, we became independent of Scope and we are now an independent charity and company, managed by voluntary trustees.

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We have since grown to operate three projects and offer families six and a half hour breaks, once a month, forty seven weekends a year.