For the past twenty years, The Saturday Club has been providing respite on the last Saturday of every month for children with special needs in Omagh.
The club, based in the Omagh Youth Centre in Co Tyrone , marked its anniversary with a celebratory concert and disco in the Silverbirch Hotel. Volunteers and members of the Saturday Club family, past and present were in attendance to enjoy the concert.
The charity says since it was established in 2002 it has welcomed over 200 children and young people and over 2000 volunteers from local schools. The club was founded by Margaret Wilkinson and the late Anne Mulhern, with their first meeting in the old History park - now the Glenpark Estate.
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"When we first started the club I thought it would be an outlet for parents and it would help them," founder Margaret said.
"I didn't anticipate just how much the kids would get out of it, and how useful it would be for the volunteers, who otherwise may not have any experience with disabilities. The club has just grown and grown.
“It would have been hard to imagine 20 years ago that our kids would have been performing to a sold-out crowd in the Strule Arts Centre - but now that's nothing to our little (and big) ones.
"During the lockdowns, we kept in touch with each other through Zoom and had a monthly news report with kids and volunteers presenting their own reports. We also held a Christmas concert - so it's so special that this particular celebration was in person."
"The club provides a safe space for kids to make friends outside of school, gain confidence and support one another, with parents also finding support from one another."
Margaret added that the club was the ‘single greatest joy’ in her life.
"It is the single greatest joy in my life. On the very first Saturday Club, which was out in what is now the Glenpark Estate in Gortin, we went for a walk and even though it was February, no leaves on the trees and frosty, we saw a lovely white butterfly.
“We took it as a good luck sign for The Saturday Club - and so it was because now the club is just as lovely as ever - but a lot bigger, a lot more kids and volunteers and we've just gone from strength to strength."
The night was MC'd by local comedian and parent Conor Keys with a performance from the children's favourite Tom Sweeney. Celebrity messages were sent in from the likes of: Shane Todd, Seamus Coleman, and Daniel O’Donnell.
Margaret credits the secret success is down to the volunteers. "We are indebted to our volunteers who give up their time to help with art, sport, music and our shows, or even just minding the doors - but we can always do with more. You don't have to be as old as me to volunteer - just giving a few hours to our kids is so valued and so worthwhile.”
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