Harry Redknapp opens new children’s respite home

Diverse Abilities, which supports children and adults across the county with disabilities and their families, celebrated the opening of its new Lily’s Place respite home.

It came a year after the charity launched its Lilypad appeal to raise funds to redevelop and renovate its existing despite home to create a brand new space.

Lily’s Place can accommodate additional children with disabilities for respite during the day, at the weekend and in the school holidays and it has been redesigned to focus on the individual needs of every child supported.

Brand new children’s bedrooms have been created in a dedicated overnight wing, all on the ground floor, with full hoist systems and are large enough to accommodate all the specialist equipment that many of the children require.

There is also a state of the art sensory room, multi-sensory underwater themed bathroom, large playroom and fully accessible garden featuring a soft play cabin, musical handrail, sandpit and a sensory tunnel at the Poole home.

At the launch event, donors to the appeal, families, staff and supporters were invited to witness as the ceremonial keys were handed over to the children’s team.

Vikki Slade, of Diverse Abilities, said: “We have been overjoyed with the significant backing we have received since the Lilypad Appeal started and in the past few months we continued to receive a huge amount of generosity from the public to raise our final £35,000.

“All in all we have raised £360,000 to redevelop our respite home. Words can’t even express how thankful we are to everyone that has been involved. Without our supporters, it couldn’t have happened.”

Andrea Lennox-Gordon, whose daughter Victoria visits the respite home, said: “It was lovely to see so many people at the Lily’s Place launch event.

“It has been a huge journey for everyone and we are astounded at the transformation - it is truly incredible what has been achieved.”

Find out more about Lily’s Place at lilypadappeal.org.uk