South Tyneside-based Tailored Leisure Company has made the shortlist for an array of high-profile regional awards.
TLC picked up the PNE Social Impact Award last year and since then there have been an influx of award nominations for the company, which has been a key driving force in developing accessible projects across the region.
TLC’s award-winning formula has since seen the team awarded the Corporate Social Responsibility award at the Sunderland Echo Portfolio Business Award 2021, Entrepreneur of the Year at the Best of South Tyneside Awards followed by an accolade at the BBC’s Make a Difference Awards.
Now director Tara Mackings has been shortlisted for Community & CSR Inspiring Female of the Year in the Chamber Business Awards, plus the award for Business in the Community at the Sunderland Echo Excellence Awards 2022.
The team at TLC are on a mission to overcome the barriers and social exclusion faced by disabled people, specifically in terms of access to leisure activities. TLC are committed to developing accessible opportunities to get fit, have fun and relax with as little stress as possible.
Tara, who set up the company because of her own experiences of living with cerebral palsy, said: “Collaboration is key to everything we do, and we are so honoured to see the vital work of the TLC team recognised at award level with a host of awards and nominations now under our wing.
“The award success cements the work that we do with community groups and partners to support the development and growth of our accessible projects, we really can’t express how much the nominations mean to us.”
Fitness is a key component to wellbeing, but this is not always accessible to all. TLC has tackled this by growing accessible community hubs, online programmes and collaborative programme opportunities with key partners.
The range of projects now available are seeing great results and have a huge effect on the wellbeing and the mental health of clients. Community engagement is key to support the most vulnerable and to date TLC has engaged with 4,200 people through its projects and research.
Alongside the high-profile accessible fitness programmes that see TLC collaborate with partners including SAFC’s Foundation of Light, Sunderland City Council and Headway, TLC also launched the Access for All campaign. This is a funding drive to support the development of an accessible short break and leisure service The Butterfly of the North for individuals with disabilities and their families.
As part of the funding drive Tara challenged herself to stand from her wheelchair for the first time in more than 20 years, for 21 hours over five days, a sight that neither of her children had ever seen. This challenge raised more than £45k and propelled the profile of the charity even further, which secured key collaborations and partnership opportunities.
The first stage of the accessible short break and leisure service came to fruition this year when TLC collaborated with one of Britain’s leading family holiday companies, Haven. The collaboration saw TLC launch their first accessible short break service for families to enjoy a relaxing break in a fully accessible caravan at the site at Berwick Holiday Park on the Northumberland coast.
Tara added: “We are really excited with the continuous developments at TLC. Alongside our great award nominations this year we’ve had a host of funding contracts extended including the project we run with the Foundation of Light. As a Get Out, Get Active (GOGA) delivery partner we’ll continue to offer this exciting programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together.
“The launch of the accessible break service with Haven was also a real pivotal moment for us, this is an amazing start to our exciting plans for accessible short breaks across the region. We love what we do and we are determined to promote social inclusion and access to bespoke leisure activities, so that everyone can enjoy life without compromise.”
