Several years before the beginning of Out of Hours ClubRutland, also known as OHCR two young men were encouraged to go out on Monday evenings to play pool in one of the local pubs supported originally by their parents, but this quickly changed to an age appropriate Personal Assistants.

 

Unfortunately due to one of the young men's aspirations he had to give up his pub and pool sessions to concentrate on his university studies. This left a void in the other young man's life and he became stuck in a rut of never leaving his room in the evenings. So his mum approached a few other mum's, and they agreed to help her start a group catering for over 18 year olds in order for them to break the isolation so many of them felt and to begin doing what their peer group does, such as going to the pub to play pool, going cinema etc.  This would also give parents/carers the respite break they desperately needed and wanted.

 

In December 2014 the group met for the first time to go to a pantomime. This was a great success and those that went to the pantomime chose the group's name.

 

In January 2015 Out of Hours Club Rutland was launched. We met on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month but after 2 years, at the suggestion of one of the members this increased following a very short trial.

 

In January 2017 Out of Hours Club Rutland Cinema Group was formed. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month to watch a film of the young adults choosing mainly at the Showcase Cinema in Peterborough depending on the show times - this is where the members feel less stressed. So we now meet three times a month! 

 

In January 2019 Jacqui Darlington shared this story with Amander Meade, about how she became concerned about the social isolation of young people with additional needs in Rutland, and how the group was created to address this issue.  This article was printed in the January 2019 Rutland Living Magazine and can be read here.

 

In March 2020 Covid19 caused the UK government to impose a stay at home order which meant that everything that we had planned to do had to be cancelled.  But the needs of our members was increasing due to the extended period of isolation that they were now experiencing.

 

In June 2020 Out of Hours Club Rutland Virtual Sessions was launched with Rosie one of the Leaders taking charge whilst Jacqui the Founder and Secretary was in the background trying to talk to members and their parents/carers about how to get on to the session. This highlighted a major problem - the lack of suitable devices. An application for funding was quickly and successfully made to the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation to purchase tablets. To find out more about this  please click here or visit our News and Testimonial section.

 

In July 2020 Out of Hours Club Rutland became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) regulated by the Charity Commission, registered in England and Wales - Registration Number 1190545.

 

In August 2020 Out of Hours Club Rutland met for the first time since March 2020 to have a social distancing picnic instead of our annual BBQ. This was a great success and the beginning of what we thought was the group returning to some sort of normality whilst trying to abide by the Governments Guidelines. However this soon came to an halt with the 2nd lockdown so we went back to meeting virtually hoping that things would resume before Christmas. It did not!

 

In the Queen's New Year's Honours List 2021 our Founder and Secretary was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition for services to the community in Rutland. 

 

We were so pleased for her because she has worked so hard not only getting Out of Hours Club Rutland up and running, but also for volunteering with Rutland Rotaract Family Support Centre, Carers UK, Healthwatch Rutland,   The Carers Centre LeicesterShire and Rutland, and more recently Mobilise Online along with collating an e-newsletter each month for carers and running  a Facebook and a Twitter page for carers in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. 

 

Well done Jacqui we are so proud of your achievements done all alongside being a full time carer!

 

In February 2021  Out of Hours Club Rutland members met again on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at the Wisteria Hotel - once again abiding by the Government Guidelines, whilst on 2nd , 4th and 5th Thursdays the members continued to meet virtually.

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From June 2021 coronavirus restrictions were gradually lifted and we returned to meeting face to face weekly.