Families across the city set to unite as part of powerful movement for change
A symbolic gathering of families from across Hull is set to take place today (Monday, November 3). The event, outside Hull’s Guildhall, is taking place from 10.30am to 1pm and is part of Every Pair Tells a Story, a powerful national movement organised by The SEND Sanctuary UK in partnership with Let Us Learn Too and Let’s Make a Difference.
Pairs of children’s shoes will be displayed to represent every child across England who has been failed by the education system and their local authority. The SEND Sanctuary UK said the movement is not only for children missing from education; it stands for every child whose needs have been ignored, misunderstood or dismissed.
“These shoes tell the stories of children who want to learn, play and be included,” said Aimee Bradley, founder of The SEND Sanctuary UK. “No child should be left behind because the system decided their needs were too complex or too inconvenient.
“This is about every child failed by broken promises and endless red tape.” More than 70 local events are being co-ordinated across England on the same day, as part of Every Pair Tells a Story, and they share the same goal of making visible the children and families who have been left behind by a system that promises inclusion but too often delivers isolation.
“The Government must listen to parents,” Aimee said. “We are not the problem. We are the evidence of the problem.
“Our children deserve more than words. They deserve real change, and they deserve it now.”
Shoes are being used in the campaign because they are “something everyone has; they are universal”, The SEND Sanctuary UK says. “For some children, these shoes were never worn because they were never given the right school place.
“For others, they were only worn for a few days or weeks before everything fell apart. Those shoes now sit at home, by the wall or under the stairs, while parents look at them and grieve the normal school life they imagined.
“Every pair tells a story of exhaustion, heartbreak and families forced to fight for the very basics that every child deserves: education, inclusion and respect.”
The Every Pair Tells a Story campaign follows the success of The Fight for Ordinary, a large-scale rally held in London earlier this year, organised by The SEND Sanctuary UK in partnership with the Disabled Children’s Partnership and attended by more than 800 parents and young people. The SEND Sanctuary UK – a national parent-led community of over 35,000 families campaigning for change, accountability and inclusion for children with special educational needs and disabilities – said Hull, like many areas across England, is facing continued strain in its SEND provision.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the event in Hull or to donate a pair of children’s shoes to be displayed on the day. After the event, all donated shoes will be collected and given to local charities supporting children and families in need.