West Sussex charity launches to help people with disabilities connect at joyful events

Friends Anna Crowe and Jane Talman have launched The Connection Hub to create inclusive community events for people with additional needs across West Sussex; the free official launch is scheduled for March 28 at Bognor Regis Youth & Community Centre.

The Connection Hub is a new grassroots charity launching in West Sussex to create inclusive community events for people with additional needs and their families. Friends Anna Crowe and Jane Talman co-founded the organisation after discussing a local need for welcoming, accessible spaces. The hub will operate as a mobile service across towns including Littlehampton, Worthing, Lancing, Sompting and Bognor. The founders say they hope to establish a permanent base in the longer term. Key details: - The Connection Hub will hold its official free launch at Bognor Regis Youth & Community Centre on Saturday, March 28, from 10am to 3pm, with music, interactive nursery songs, sensory stories, a magic show, balloon creations and giant games. - Anna Crowe has worked as an SEN teacher for 25 years and Jane Talman has more than 12 years' experience as a personal assistant and has fostered an adult with additional needs. - The charity is based in Rope Walk and is initially focusing on Littlehampton, Worthing, Lancing, Sompting, Bognor and surrounding villages. - For now the hub will be fully mobile, with other events planned between March 31 and May 7 at venues including Thakeham Community Hub, Walberton Village Hall, Creative Heart in Littlehampton, New Park Community Centre in Chichester and Flying Fortress in Ford. - A fundraiser called Midnight Dynamite is scheduled at Bognor Regis Youth & Community Centre on Friday, May 15, from 7pm to 9pm with tickets priced at £15 plus a £1.17 booking fee; the article lists the group's website for further information. Summary: The founders say the hub aims to reduce isolation and help people with additional needs and their families connect through welcoming events across West Sussex. The immediate plans are the free launch on March 28 and a series of mobile events through early May, followed by a fundraising evening on May 15.