NEW GROUP LAUNCHES AT our house

In 2004, having a disabled child with complex or physical needs could feel profoundly lonely.

The internet was still finding its feet. Inclusivity was something people talked about, rather than something you regularly saw in action. Information was hard to come by, support even harder, and many parents quietly struggled behind closed doors, doing their very best with very little around them.

Our children were tiny then - all under five. Many had arrived after long, traumatic labours. Some spent weeks or even months in hospital before they ever came home. When they did, life didn’t suddenly get easier. We found ourselves navigating a new world of medical terminology, appointments, equipment and uncertainty, often as small, separate family units with few support systems to lean on.

We were competent parents - but we were tired, bewildered, and scared.

Health visitors were a lifeline in those early days. Their visits brought reassurance, practical advice and kindness at a time when we needed it most. But those visits were few and far between (do health visitors even exist in the same way now?), and once they left, the questions and worries remained. GPs often didn’t know where to signpost us. Clinical appointments felt intimidating and isolating. We needed support not just occasionally, but all the time.

What we really needed was each other.

When an area manager from Scope advertised local support, a small group of us gathered at the Lower Earley Salvation Army Centre. From those first meetings, something special began to grow. We realised, very quickly, the value of community — of shared understanding, shared knowledge, and shared relief in not having to explain ourselves.

And so Peapods was born.

Peapods became a parent-led charity supporting families of physically disabled children across Berkshire. It was built by parents, for parents - people living the reality every single day. We ran monthly Saturday clubs, social events, speaker evenings and a thriving online forum at a time when online spaces like that were still rare.

For many families, Peapods became a lifeline, especially in those fragile early years. Parents often said they learned more from one another than from anywhere else - the small, practical tips that make everyday life possible, the things no textbook or professional can truly teach you. Our children and their siblings found friends who understood their world. They felt less alone, because for once, they weren’t.

Together, we celebrated birthdays and parties. We organised trips to the beach. We faced local politicians, pushing for better services and greater understanding. We had parents’ nights out, Saturday clubs full of laughter, and moments of solidarity that only come from shared experience. Most of all, we bonded - over familiarity, honesty, acceptance, and hope.

For many of us, Peapods was a home-from-home. A shelter for the soul. A place where we could sit with parents who got it, share the hard days without judgement, and celebrate the joyful moments with people who truly understood what they meant. It reminded us, again and again, that we were not alone.

As with most things, time passed. Children grew. Families moved. Lives changed. And sadly, a few years ago, Peapods came to an end.

But the need never went away.

Now, at Our House, Wokingham’s play therapy centre for disabled children and families, we feel ready to reignite that Peapods spark.

We are delighted to be launching a new Saturday group, beginning 31st January at 11am, inspired by everything Peapods once was - and everything it can be again.

Parents, carers and children are warmly invited to come along. Children who may now be in mainstream school can meet others facing similar challenges and begin building friendships rooted in understanding. Parents and carers can talk, share advice, swap stories and simply breathe in a space where no explanations are needed.

Our founding trustees - parents of disabled adults now - will be there to offer their wisdom, experience and reassurance. Their adult children will be volunteering too, completing the circle in the most meaningful way.