Spectrum Community Arts provides performing arts workshops for people with disabilities and additional needs, catering for all ages. Sessions include sensory movement, dance routines and performing arts clubs, as well as offering bespoke sessions for schools, charities, and groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of Spectrum's clients into shielding, leaving many without a physical activity option and socially isolated.

Spectrum Community Arts benefitted from Tackling Inequalities Fund support to help cover admin costs and to help market online sessions to their target audiences to reduce the risk of social isolation as much as possible, while offering a COVID-safe environment for clients to still be active.

Since receiving funding from the Tackling Inequalities Fund, Spectrum Community Arts has been able to host online sessions for those forced into shielding as well as maintaining volunteering opportunities for those who regularly help in the organisation.

The virtual sessions have been such a success that 100% of parents/carers who use their services believe that the sessions have helped keep their child active through lockdown periods, with many of those believing their child felt a sense of community during these challenging times. Many parents/carers felt that the online sessions had improved their child's wellbeing during lockdown:

"These sessions have given E a routine that he has needed during these lockdowns. It has been amazing for him to have something to look forward to and therefore has massively improved is wellbeing."

"Our daughter has severe autism so sometimes finds it hard to communicate but, in the sessions, she participates with a large smile on her face and can't stop talking about the sessions for a long time afterwards!"