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The Coventry club that has been helping people with disabilities for over 80 years
A group in Coventry has been embracing people with disabilities for over 80 years. The Enterprise Club in Coventry has been running since 1937.
It started when a man called Eric Gray, who was disabled and forced to use crutches, wrote to the Midlands Daily Telegraph to complain that there were not enough facilities in Coventry for disabled people like himself and others. This caught the attention of two other disabled men, Harry Tusgrove and Len Tasker.
After much hard work and dedication, a social club for disabled people in Coventry was born in 1938. However, when the Second World War struck, meetings became much harder to hold, with the threat of bombings on the rise.
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Tragically, some of the members died in bombings and equipment was destroyed. Determined to continue, the two men later managed to acquire a damaged building.
Despite the difficulties they faced, they had 40 members who would attend. In time, the building was repaired.
However, they wanted a building that they could call their own. They were introduced to a man called Mr Herbet Haddock who was himself battling disablity. He was selling his house and half an acre of land – and offered his property for a good price to the club.
They grabbed the chance and the rest is history. Now fast-forward to 2023, the club is thriving, and people with disabilities are being championed.
What happens at the Enterprise Club
When we went to visit the club, many people were taking part in activities such as colouring and craft making. One man called Rob told CoventryLive he has been coming for 10 years.
”It’s an uplifting atmosphere here,” he said. “It gives me a break from the four walls at home.”
There were four volunteers at the club when we arrived at the session – doing simple but vital work. Some were making cups of tea or sitting and talking to the people in the group.
Mel, who has volunteered for three years, said she has learnt a lot about herself whilst being there as she has a son who is autistic. ”It has taught me to be a tolerant person.
“I feel like I make a difference and I enjoy doing it,” she said. “If you can make them smile, it is all worth it”.
At the club, many activities are held on a weekly basis, such as sports, fundraising and trips out to places such as the theatre. Another volunteer called Tony has been there for 18 months.
He retired and wanted to find something to do as he was bored at home. ”It’s a marvellous place and we are very lucky to have it.
“Years ago there was nothing like this. When you were disabled you had to stay indoors.”
A family affair – and the impact of lockdown
Jill Simms, 66, is the general manager of the club. She said she was born into it.
Her mom and dad met at one of the clubs on Wheatley Street in 1943. ”It’s like a community on its own at this place. We love to see people learning new skills.”
Jill’s husband, Clive Simms, 66, is a session supervisor at the club. He has been looking after the volunteers for four years.
”I enjoy the job, I do,” he said. “It gives me confidence and I feel that has grown over the years as being disabled myself I do appreciate it.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the club had to shut down and Jill said it was quite an eye-opener. ”Some of the members would turn up at the door when it was in lockdown, I used to phone them every day to see how they were.
“A lot of them were not doing anything. We delivered jigsaws and colouring books to them to make sure they were being kept motivated.”
After lockdown, the group received a lot of support, but they are always pleading for more volunteers. If you wish to find out more about them, you can visit the website.
What the club does
The A Team
The A Team is a day centre for members who are “younger at heart”. It meets on Mondays.
This is a more active group. They do quizzes, karaoke, crafts, artwork, pool, computer games, board games, ten pin bowling and many other activities.c
Day Centre
The Day Centre has more than 30 members who come to the club to socialise with one another. Some of the Day Centre members enjoy games of dominoes, draughts or Scrabble.
Lunch is ordered from the local fish and chip shop. About once a month, the group enjoy a pub lunch and occasionally some entertainment is organised after lunch.
Handicraft Group
This group has around 25 members. They take part in a variety of crafts ranging from rug-making to knitting, sewing, crochet, embroidery, toy-making and tray-making.
Members bring their own lunches to this session. Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available during the breaks.
The group is intended to be a “working” group. In October each year, the members hold an exhibition week where all the items made during the year are entered in a competition and then sold to raise funds for the club.
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