174 Trust Quiet Room & Soft Play Area
UlsterWooden Spoon Quiet Room and Soft Play Area at 174 Trust has been awarded a grant of £30,000. This project, aimed at supporting children and young people with additional needs by providing calming and stimulating sensory environments, is set to have a significant impact on the local community. This equipment will be used by children, young people and adults at the 8 disability clubs and a pre-school nursery which the 174 Trust runs at the Duncairn Centre in North Belfast.
Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions rugby player Willie John McBride has opened a sensory room and soft play area at the Duncairn Complex, which will be used by over 100 children, young people and adults each week, the majority of whom have special needs.
Speaking at the launch event, Willie John McBride said ‘As a former, international rugby player, I know how important it is to be in the right environment to thrive. It was wonderful therefore to see how the sensory and soft play equipment have created spaces which enable children, young people and young adults to have fun, develop new skills and flourish.’
‘Our new sensory room gives us a safe, fun and stimulating environment for the disabled children and young people we work with, many of whom have complex needs’ says Linda Duffy, Disability Manager at the 174 Trust. ‘One young woman, who has a number of profound disabilities, loves being in the new sensory space, making her weekly visit much more enjoyable for her and for her parents who are able to have some much-needed respite’.
The sensory room has also helped young children settle into nursery, with one child excitedly referring to it as a ‘magic room’. ‘The lights, bubbles and colours in the room are so engaging for all our children, whatever their needs’ says Kelly Burke, Pre-School Nursery leader. ‘Our rooms have created a safe environment which helps our children to thrive’
Wooden Spoon is a charitable organisation dedicated to transforming lives through the power of the rugby community. Known for its commitment to supporting children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantage across the UK and Ireland, the charity has funded numerous projects that provide meaningful opportunities and positive outcomes. With a strong history of impactful, community-led initiatives, Wooden Spoon continues to improve lives through physical, educational, and social projects. Through collaborations like this, Wooden Spoon furthers its mission to deliver lasting change within communities.
Support Sensory Space projects across the UK and Ireland by donating to Wooden Spoon, or find out more here.
