SEND Connect Fair 2026 – A Day of Connection, Community and Support
Reflecting on the first SEND Connect Fair | September 2026
On Tuesday 22 September 2026, I welcomed families, carers, professionals and organisations to the very first SEND Connect Fair at The Forum in Northallerton. What started as an idea to bring local SEND services and organisations together became a very special day, filled with conversations, connections and opportunities to discover support within our community.
Now that the event has taken place, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the day, share some of the lovely feedback I've received and say a huge thank you to everyone who helped make it happen.
Bringing SEND support together
The idea behind SEND Connect Fair was simple: to create an opportunity for families, carers and professionals to meet local organisations, find out what support is available and make connections, all in one place.
With so many services and organisations working across North Yorkshire, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start or who to turn to. I wanted to create a welcoming space where people could ask questions, pick up information, have a chat and discover support they might not have known existed.
It was wonderful to see so many organisations come together, each bringing their own knowledge, experience and passion for supporting children, young people and adults with SEND.
Most importantly, it was lovely to see families and professionals having conversations, sharing experiences and making connections throughout the morning.
Hearing from families and visitors
One of the most rewarding parts of organising the fair has been hearing how much it meant to the people who attended. The feedback from visitors really captured why bringing everyone together matters.
Here's just a little of what visitors had to say:
"Excellent, have learnt more in the last hour than in 4 years of what is available."
"Great, there should be more like this for every area."
"Has been really informative, I know where to go now for support."
Reading these comments has been incredibly encouraging. Knowing that someone has discovered new support, found information they've been looking for or simply left feeling more informed makes all the planning and preparation worthwhile.
Thank you to our exhibitors
A huge thank you to every organisation that took part in the first SEND Connect Fair. Your time, enthusiasm and willingness to share your services made the event what it was.
It was fantastic to see so many conversations taking place and new connections being made between families, professionals and organisations.
Looking ahead to SEND Connect Fair 2027
Organising the first SEND Connect Fair has been a learning experience, and I'm already looking forward to building on what we've achieved.
I'm delighted to share that I'm planning the second SEND Connect Fair for 2027!
There will be more information to follow, including the date, venue and exhibitor booking details.
If you're an organisation or service supporting children, young people or adults with SEND and their families and would like to be considered for next year's event, please get in touch to be added to the SEND Connect Fair exhibitor email list.
You can also follow my website and social media for updates as plans develop.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended, exhibited, shared information, supported the event or helped spread the word. Your involvement made the first SEND Connect Fair a really positive experience, and I'm so grateful for the support and encouragement.
Here's to more conversations, connections and opportunities to bring our SEND community together in 2027!
