Tara aims to stand for first time in 20 years
After an unprecedented year, a Whitburn resident has been motivated to embark on one of her biggest challenges yet – to stand for the first time in more than 20 years.
Tara Johnson, who has cerebral palsy, is the founder and owner of social enterprise Tailored Leisure Company (TLC).
She has pledged to stand from her wheelchair for 21 hours over five days from Monday, March 8 to Friday, March 12, a sight that neither of her children have ever seen.
The driving force behind the challenge is to raise awareness of what she believes is the lack of accessible leisure activities and short break facilities across the North East.
Through various fundraising drives and funding applications, the company aims to raise £1.5million to purchase an identified property in the region that will be modified into an accessible leisure complex.
TLC is the enterprise behind Sit to be Fit and recently secured funding to run a host of virtual fitness classes.
Tara said: “The second lockdown started to take its toll on me, like many, and despite things being amazing with the growth of the business and the successful transition to virtual fitness sessions for our clients, I’m only human and began to realise I was frustrated.
“My children were finding things difficult and we all needed a goal that would see me take on my biggest challenge, but also help the fundraising project.
“Earlier in the year I started a meal plan with Macro Based Diner and an intensive and tailored eight-week fitness programme with one of our trainers (Coach Becks), with the aim to stand for the first time in 20 years.
“Training has been far from easy with sore legs, only managing six minutes in my standing frame during the first week of standing training to now managing one hour.
“The 21 hours challenge represents a new year of hope and I’m asking the North East to make a pledge and stand with me to Stand for Access and help us raise the vital funds we need.”
To find out more and make a donation, go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tailoredleisure
Campaign supporters can name a butterfly that would be displayed at the new complex, if successful.
Proposals for a huge housing development near Hetton have been thrown out by planning bosses.
In 2019, plans were submitted to Sunderland City Council to build up to 250 homes near South Lodge Farm.
A decision on the application from Gladman Developments Ltd was due to be made in early 2020 but this was delayed, with a time extension agreed.
This week, the scheme was finally presented to the council’s Planning and Highways (West) Committee for decision.
The outline application aimed to establish the principle of development on the site, with access proposed via two points off North Road, and other details such as design, scale and layout reserved until a later stage.
According to planning documents, homes of “varying sizes, types and tenures” would be provided, including a proportion of affordable housing.
However, the plans failed to win favour from council planners who recommended the application for refusal.
The main issues included the development undermining the ‘settlement break’ between Hetton-le-Hole and East Rainton/Middle Rainton and the housing undermining the ‘green infrastructure network.’
Hetton Town Council also
objected to the development raising similar concerns, alongside fears about highway
safety, public transport and increased pressure on school places and NHS facilities.
During a planning meeting, planners confirmed the application could not be supported as it was “deficient in supporting information” on key issues.
This included archaeology, highway arrangements, ecology and biodiversity matters, such as potential impacts on the Hetton Bogs Local Nature Reserve.
In a report prepared for councillors, planners said the housing would “not assist with regeneration of the urban area of the city by virtue of the site’s location away from the established urban area.”
The report adds: “In the absence of sufficient supporting information, the local planning authority cannot have any certainty that the proposal will not adversely affect highway and/or pedestrian safety.”