Bramcote Special Needs Fair 2025

This year's Peter Barratt Special Needs Fair was attended by a little under 200 children/ young adults with special needs, their carers/parents and siblings.

They enjoyed the fairground rides operated completely free of charge by Michael McKean and his family.

This year the fair was also attended by the New Provincial Grand Master Julian Townsend and his wife, along with the Mayor of Broxtowe and his wife. 

The money required to provide special toilets, first aid facilities, special transport for some of the groups and various sundry items, is generated by a grant from Provincial Grand Lodge and Individual Lodge donations and fund raising by Edwalton Lodge.

Free food, drinks and ice cream are also provided, ice cream being particularly popular this year due to the lovely weather.

TLC comment

On Wednesday, 13^th August, the Provincial Charity Committee's annual donation enabled the Special Needs Fair to happen for many disadvantaged children. This year, approx 200 children, accompanied by their parents and carers, came to Bramcote Park for a day tailored just for them.

Mickey McAllen, the owner of the Fair Ground, dedicated the whole fair for the sole use of the children.

Whereby rides were slowed down, albeit it didn’t seem to be important to the drivers of the Dodgems.

During the day, all present enjoyed free Ice Cream, Burgers, and Hot Dogs.

During the day, the Chairman and Secretary of Teddies for Loving Care Notts ensured that, with the assistance of the Provincial Grand Master and his lady, Diane. That every child got a small bear to take home and to love.

As the Fair was closing and all of the 200 bears were delivered to welcoming arms, a grandmother approached and said in a worried, yet inquisitive voice, “Have all the bears gone?

We are afraid so, yes!

She then said. This is my granddaughter, she lives with Grandad and I.

Because our daughter is in a high-security psychiatric ward ,our Granddaughter does not understand why she cannot see her Mum.

This makes her very sad, but she seeks comfort and support from her bears at Home!

Please stay here for a moment, we said. Coming back from the car park, she saw us with a big TLC bear.

Her eyes lit up and she squeezed Ted with all her might.

Grandma said "you don’t know what you have just done. She will love the bear and remember this day forever."

This is exactly the reaction and aim of TLC, both nationally and in Nottinghamshire and under the leadership of the Chair Roger Garrett (Just honoured with the B.E.M in the Kings Honours list for exactly this sort of work over the years) and its Secretary John Pawlik, TLC Notts is able to reach more and more children in difficult circumstances and we are striving to extend this Charity to as many children as possible and this fair is a perfect example of how TLC and local Freemasons try to improve the lives of children in difficult circumstances

This was the 14th year Edwalton and St. Giles Lodges has organised and put on this special event which not only gives a unique experience to those children and young adults with special needs but also allows the whole family to enjoy something they otherwise could not attend.

Here's looking forward to next year."