York: Tang Hall SMART turns ten and holds concert to celebrate

Tang Hall SMART was set up in 2014 by Sue and Al Williamson at The Burnholme Centre in Tang Hall.

It offers creative and personalised learning programmes for young people with an educational health care plan – given to people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support.

Sue Williamson (Image: Supplied)

The organisation also runs clubs, classes and programmes for people who have struggled with mental health, homelessness and/or addiction. And it works with adults who have additional needs.

Tang Hall SMART started life with a large concert at the Burnholme Community College Assembly Hall: The Big Gig, after the school closed following a long fight to save it.

Sue, a former teacher at the school, set up the group with the aim of keeping those community links going.

Ten years on, it has helped around 1,000 people out of its suite of rooms at The Burnholme Centre.

And on Saturday (June 29) the organisation’s current and past performers will return to the Burnholme stage for a special gig from 2pm to 9pm to mark the anniversary.

The company has also created a limited-edition 10th anniversary souvenir booklet and is releasing 100 videos on its YouTube channel that showcase its work, going live at 2pm on Saturday.

Kirby and Ewan from Tang Hall SMART perform in 2014 (Image: Supplied)

An 'honour' to help 1,000 people over last ten years

Sue said it was an “honour” to help people over the 10 years.

“During the course of the last 10 years, we have worked with around 1,000 people, some of whom have been with us from the very beginning and whose pathways are now linked with ours,” she explained.

“It has been truly an honour, to have had the chance to be involved in so many people’s musical and artistic development, and we are looking to seeing some of those perform on Saturday.

Sue Williamson with participant Ewan in 2014 (Image: Supplied)

“It is quite an emotional time really as we look backwards and pause a minute to remember all the brilliant times and fantastic people from the past, but also exciting as we look forwards to the next 10 years.”

While at Burnholme Community College, Sue worked as a music teacher and special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).

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When the school was closed down she managed to get a lease in the decaying buildings before they were demolished.

“Having worked in education for so long and aware of the wastage in terms of human potential and seeing all these fantastic, talented students and then quite often their futures not turning out particularly bright. It had always been something that concerned me, these people falling through the cracks,” Sue previously said.