The people behind Unique Abilities.

Savannah Morris

Hello everyone, I’m Savannah, Co-Founder, Chair and Trustee of Unique Abilities SEND Group.

I started Unique Abilities in the summer of 2023 after my own experiences as a parent of three children, two of whom are autistic and have ADHD, alongside a number of other additional needs and health challenges.

At the time, I felt incredibly alone. I struggled to find somewhere that my children could go where they would feel truly included, understood and safe, and somewhere I could meet other parents and carers who understood the challenges we were facing.

So, I decided to create that place.

What started in 2023 as just one sensory session a month in a community centre in Newton Aycliffe was something we never imagined would grow into what Unique Abilities is today. We simply wanted to create a safe and welcoming space for our own children and other local families who needed somewhere to belong.

Little by little, the group became busier and busier. We began recruiting volunteers, introducing new activities and opening more sessions across the local area. What started as a small idea quickly became a growing community of families, children, volunteers and supporters.

In the summer of 2025, Unique Abilities took another huge step forward when we became a registered charity. Since February 2026, we have developed even further, forming partnerships with SCNE at the farm and other fantastic local organisations and groups, allowing us to create even more opportunities for the children and families we support.

Today, Unique Abilities SEND Group is at the heart of everything I do. For me, it isn’t simply a charity or a job—we are one big family. I absolutely love every moment of being part of this journey. Looking back at where we started in summer 2023 and seeing where we are now is genuinely incredible.

The biggest highlight of my role is seeing a child’s face light up when they are doing something they never thought they could do. It’s seeing children included rather than feeling left out. It’s watching friendships develop and families become part of a community where they know they are understood.

It’s also knowing that a parent or carer can walk through our doors and have somebody to talk to—somebody who gets it.

I want Unique Abilities to be a place where every child feels valued, every family feels supported and nobody feels alone.

As I continue my journey as Chair, I am so excited about what the future holds. There is still so much I want us to achieve, and I can’t wait to continue developing Unique Abilities and creating more and more meaningful opportunities for the incredible children and families we support.

From one small sensory session to the community we have today, this journey has been absolutely amazing, and I feel incredibly proud to be a part of it. 💜

“I want Unique Abilities to be a place where every child feels valued, every family feels supported and nobody feels alone.”

Emma Aberdeen

💜 My Unique Abilities journey 💜

Hi, I’m Emma, Vice Chair and Trustee of Unique Abilities SEND Group, but my journey with this amazing community started long before I ever had a role within it.

I first came to Unique Abilities as a mum who honestly didn’t know which way to turn.

I felt lost. I was trying to navigate life, support and everything that came with having a son with additional needs, but I didn’t know where to go or who to turn to. My son Freddie has autism and ADHD, and at the time, I was desperately looking for somewhere we could both feel understood.

Then I found Unique Abilities. 💜

From the moment I walked through the door, I was welcomed into a community that made me feel like I wasn’t alone anymore. There was no judgement, no need to explain ourselves and no feeling that we were different. We were simply accepted for who we were.

I loved being part of the group so much that, in 2024, I decided I wanted to give something back and became a volunteer.

What started as a mum looking for support eventually became something much bigger. In 2025, I became Vice Chair and Trustee, and I honestly couldn’t be prouder of how far the group has come.

You’ll usually find me covered in foam, rice, flour, paint or whatever else I’ve managed to come up with! 😂🙈

I absolutely love organising the messy play and sensory activities for our sessions. It gives me the perfect excuse to let my creative side loose and come up with new things for our children to explore, touch, squish, pour and get completely covered in! 🎨🫧🌈

But Unique Abilities has given me so much more than an opportunity to be creative. It has given Freddie a community. It has given me friendships. It has given us somewhere we belong.

It has given me a better understanding of myself too. I am currently awaiting my own autism and ADHD assessments, and that journey has made me appreciate even more just how important it is to have somewhere you can come to without fear of being judged or misunderstood.

The most rewarding part of my role isn’t the organising, the planning or even the messy play. It’s seeing the families smile. 💜

It’s watching a child who may struggle in other environments completely relax and enjoy themselves. It’s seeing parents and carers chatting, laughing and making friends. It’s watching families walk through our doors and know that, for those couple of hours, they are somewhere safe, inclusive and welcoming.

Knowing that we have created a space where children can be themselves and parents can breathe, even just for a little while, means everything to me.

Because I know exactly what it feels like to be the mum who walks through those doors not knowing which way to turn. And that’s why I will always be so incredibly proud to be part of Unique Abilities SEND Group.

“I came to Unique Abilities looking for somewhere to belong, and I found a community that became a huge part of who I am.” 💜

Emma x.

Andrea Shaw

💜 Meet Andrea—Treasurer & Trustee 💜

My journey with Unique Abilities SEND Group began in 2023, when I first became involved as a silent trustee. At the time, I never imagined just how personally connected I would become to the group or how much it would come to mean to me.

My granddaughter started attending the sensory sessions, and seeing first-hand how much she enjoyed them and the positive impact they had on her was incredibly special. 💜

Being able to see the difference Unique Abilities makes to children and their families really opened my eyes to how important this community is. It made me want to become more involved and play a bigger part in helping the group continue to grow.

In March 2024, I became Treasurer and took on a much more active role within Unique Abilities.

I’m passionate about supporting the group and helping to ensure that we can continue providing a safe, welcoming and understanding environment where every child is accepted for who they are, valued for their individuality and given the opportunity to simply be themselves.

Being part of Unique Abilities is something that is very close to my heart. Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces, watching families build friendships and knowing that we can help parents and carers feel a little less alone makes all the hard work worthwhile.

I’m incredibly proud to be part of this amazing community and to play my own small part in supporting the children and families who make Unique Abilities what it is today. 💜

“Sometimes, finding a community that understands you can make all the difference.” 💜