B Y day Jo Brooks is a class-room assistant at Chulmleigh School, but when her working week ends Jo looks forward to stepping into her role as club leader for The Abbey Gateway Club.

The Abbey Gateway is a social club which is held every Friday evening at Pilton Community College in Barnstaple.

It welcomes up to 120 adults who have learning difficulties and is place where they can meet, socialise and have fun.

Club members come from all over North Devon in all modes of transport. Some are ferried by parents and carers, others come in taxis and buses.

Although numbers vary from week to week there is usually an average of 70 in attendance. All of them arrive with a smile on their face looking forward to their weekly social gathering.

Jo organises a weekly disco and art workshop and makes sure the snack bar is well stocked with treats for her Friday night get-together.

She has also introduced a number of variations to the regular club nights with guest appearances from Barnstaple's Rock and Roll club which provides rock and roll music and has everyone up on their feet grooving and dancing to the beat.

The Silver Spurs square dance team and Jongleurs Choir have also provided entertainment for the group, and there have been guest appearances from the police and fire brigade.

As well as the weekly social club, Jo also organises an annual outing to Holiday on Ice at Exeter's Westpoint, visits to The Queen's Theatre annual pantomime, Christmas disco and skittle evenings at the Wray Arms and summer outings to various attractions.

One of the highlights for Jo is seeing all the club members dressed up in their glad rags when they attend the annual dinner and dance held in the Park Hotel, Barnstaple, with a disco provided by Tim Williams, who works for Devon Youth Service.

Jo realises the importance of her role as club leader, not just for the members but also for the parents and other carers who look after her charges on a daily basis.

She said: "The Friday night club gives carers space for themselves and this is so important and undervalued. Everyone needs time and space for themselves from time to time, to relax and unwind.

"For carers this is extremely important when they are constantly caring for their loved ones in what can sometimes be a demanding and challenging role."

The Abbey Gateway Club is a charitable organisation and Jo passionately believes that the club offers huge benefits to its members.

"We provide a safe and fun environment where people in our community, who have learning difficulties, can get together and simply be themselves.

"Our club nights are always stimulating and at the end of each session it is a real pleasure to see everyone leave with a smile on their face telling us they are looking forward to the next Friday."

Jo does not find the work she does in anyway onerous, but says: "What I do is hugely rewarding and always great fun and I know that what we all do at Abbey Gateway has a really positive impact for so many people in our community."

Jo is always happy to welcome new members to the club and is always on the look out for volunteers to help, or people who have particular skills they would like to share. If you would like to become a member or you think you can make a worthwhile contribution to The Abbey Gateway Club, can contact Jo on 07989 536349.

●There's a bottle of bubbly or a bouquet of flowers for our Carers in the Community. To nominate someone, write to Carer in the Community, North Devon Journal, Avery House, Liberty Road, Roundswell, Barnstaple EX31 3TL.