A School For Tom
Donation protected
Tom's story
In September of 2016 Tom was diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum. He’s a bright and loving boy but his early experience of formal pre-school was challenging. Tom spent much of his time withdrawn, with his hands over his ears. He grew despondent and lost a lot of confidence. School can be a bleak and unforgiving environment for children on the spectrum.
In August last year we decided to do something radical. I took a sabbatical from my job and with my husband, Joe, Tom and baby James, we moved to Portugal to try out a new educational project. 
It’s a tiny school where Tom has had the chance to develop at his own pace. He has quickly developed his social confidence and his love for learning has flourished. He is even showing a strong aptitude for mathematics and a passion for architecture. He’s our happy, joyous boy once again. 
Family Heartbreak
But then, in December of 2017, after six months of investigations in Portugal and the UK, Joe was diagnosed with the ALS form of motor neuron disease: a devastating and terminal muscle wasting condition. It’s a truly tragic blow for all of us.
We now need to return home so that Joe can get the palliative care he needs. Joe’s care needs will increase dramatically. And I face a huge challenge to meet the needs of a disabled husband and two young boys. We are blessed with loving friends and family but no-one in a position to offer hands-on support. We need to find a community that can offer an extension to our family.
Meeting Tom's educational needs
Of crucial importance is finding the right school for Tom. And this is why we urgently need your help. Tom will need a huge amount of emotional and academic support over the next few years. Losing a parent at a young age, and the challenge of being on the autistic spectrum, are both markers for low self-esteem and lower educational outcomes.
Modern primary schools are highly pressurised environments. The demands of academic target setting eats away at the time needed for real emotional support. It’s a hard environment for a vulnerable child. The truly tragic scenario is that Tom would have to re-experience that isolation and sadness at school whilst also experiencing his father’s inevitable decline and death. 
We know from our time in Portugal, and also Tom's wonderful early experience at The Woodland Nursery in Greenwich, that a small nurturing environment is vital to his wellbeing. We have now identified and spent time at a school that we feel can meet Tom’s needs. The Inwoods Small School is located in Hampshire. There are only forty-five children. It has many of the qualities that have enabled Tom to flourish in Portugal.
Inwoods is a well-managed and caring school capable of supporting Tom through the hard times ahead. The school is part funded by an Educational Foundation, so the fees of £6200 per annum are unusually low. But our circumstances have presented us with dire financial difficulties. We need your help to support Tom's educational welfare.
How you can help
Thank you for reading about our story. It’s a hard one for us to tell. We’re sorry to ask for help but we desperately need it and a Trust has kindly been established to receive any funds you are able to offer. As I adjust to a new role as a carer, we face tough emotional, practical and financial pressures. Any help you give would make a world of difference to us in this terrible situation.
If you would like more information, a useful resource is the Too Much Information page from The National Autistic Society. And the MND Association offer a stark insight into how Motor Neuron Disease will affect our lives.
Thank you for your generosity in considering our situation.
Gill & Joe Hammond 
In September of 2016 Tom was diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum. He’s a bright and loving boy but his early experience of formal pre-school was challenging. Tom spent much of his time withdrawn, with his hands over his ears. He grew despondent and lost a lot of confidence. School can be a bleak and unforgiving environment for children on the spectrum.
In August last year we decided to do something radical. I took a sabbatical from my job and with my husband, Joe, Tom and baby James, we moved to Portugal to try out a new educational project. 
It’s a tiny school where Tom has had the chance to develop at his own pace. He has quickly developed his social confidence and his love for learning has flourished. He is even showing a strong aptitude for mathematics and a passion for architecture. He’s our happy, joyous boy once again. 
Family Heartbreak
But then, in December of 2017, after six months of investigations in Portugal and the UK, Joe was diagnosed with the ALS form of motor neuron disease: a devastating and terminal muscle wasting condition. It’s a truly tragic blow for all of us.
We now need to return home so that Joe can get the palliative care he needs. Joe’s care needs will increase dramatically. And I face a huge challenge to meet the needs of a disabled husband and two young boys. We are blessed with loving friends and family but no-one in a position to offer hands-on support. We need to find a community that can offer an extension to our family.
Meeting Tom's educational needs
Of crucial importance is finding the right school for Tom. And this is why we urgently need your help. Tom will need a huge amount of emotional and academic support over the next few years. Losing a parent at a young age, and the challenge of being on the autistic spectrum, are both markers for low self-esteem and lower educational outcomes.
Modern primary schools are highly pressurised environments. The demands of academic target setting eats away at the time needed for real emotional support. It’s a hard environment for a vulnerable child. The truly tragic scenario is that Tom would have to re-experience that isolation and sadness at school whilst also experiencing his father’s inevitable decline and death. 
We know from our time in Portugal, and also Tom's wonderful early experience at The Woodland Nursery in Greenwich, that a small nurturing environment is vital to his wellbeing. We have now identified and spent time at a school that we feel can meet Tom’s needs. The Inwoods Small School is located in Hampshire. There are only forty-five children. It has many of the qualities that have enabled Tom to flourish in Portugal.
Inwoods is a well-managed and caring school capable of supporting Tom through the hard times ahead. The school is part funded by an Educational Foundation, so the fees of £6200 per annum are unusually low. But our circumstances have presented us with dire financial difficulties. We need your help to support Tom's educational welfare.
How you can help
Thank you for reading about our story. It’s a hard one for us to tell. We’re sorry to ask for help but we desperately need it and a Trust has kindly been established to receive any funds you are able to offer. As I adjust to a new role as a carer, we face tough emotional, practical and financial pressures. Any help you give would make a world of difference to us in this terrible situation.
If you would like more information, a useful resource is the Too Much Information page from The National Autistic Society. And the MND Association offer a stark insight into how Motor Neuron Disease will affect our lives.
Thank you for your generosity in considering our situation.
Gill & Joe Hammond 
Organizer
Gillian Hammond
Organizer
England
