A COUPLE from Wantage is hoping to raise £60,000 to start a new charity for children and adults with learning disabilities after their autistic daughter took an attempt on her life.

Mark Currie, who runs a martial arts school called SMAF Oxford in Didcot, and his wife Cristina want to provide support through martial arts to help people like their daughter.

The new charity, which is called The Hive, will be based in Wantage and will provide free martial arts workshops including for mobility, coordination and health and wellbeing.

Herald Series: The new charity will be called The Hive.The new charity will be called The Hive.

It will also be a place for people to socialise and relax and will be self-funded by the memberships from a new branch of the SMAF school which will be starting in the same building as the charity.

Mr Currie said: “My daughter is autistic. She was diagnosed at quite a late stage in life and struggled to fit in and with how she connects with other people.

“It resulted in her having quite severe mental health issues and lockdown was very difficult for her. It took such a toll on her she took quite a severe attempt on her life and was brought back by emergency services in front of us.

“It was really hard and it makes you re-evaluate everything in life. The important thing for us is that she had a voice but it wasn’t being heard.

“My background is that I’ve worked with children and adults with learning disabilities for a long time and we’re seeing more centres being closed and funding being taking away from them and we want to give them something.

“This charity is about giving them a sense of being and a voice. We’ve worked with a lot of children on the spectrum and the parents have said they just can’t believe the changes.

“Martial arts makes them a lot more confident in how they carry themselves and they celebrate the fact that they are different.”

Herald Series: Mark and Mitchell who run SMAF Oxford, a martial arts schoolMark and Mitchell who run SMAF Oxford, a martial arts school

Mr Currie, who is a 4th Dan Black Belt, hopes to raise the money and have the charity open by the end of July. The money will go towards setting up the centre and its running costs for the first three months.

He has a 24-hour spar-athon fundraiser planned as well as a charity fight night and a kick boxing competition.

Mr Currie’s son Mitchell, a 1st Dan Black Belt and senior martial arts instructor, will be stepping up with the day-today running of SMAF Oxford.

To donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sports-martial-arts-organisation-hive