Beaming with smiles
Kent (South East)Wooden Spoon Kent donated £25,000 towards a new sensory playground at We Are Beams, in Hextable, which provides comprehensive services for the whole family to support children and young people with disabilities and special needs.
Ciaran, 13, has multiple conditions, including Down’s Syndrome, diabetes, coeliac disease and ASD and ADHD, and Beams has been part of his life since he was five. Beams offers Ciaran overnight respite, school holiday camp, days out and a support worker.
Ciaran’s mum, Terri, explains how Beams has helped them: “As Ciaran’s needs are complex, this makes his behaviour challenging, there are very few opportunities for him to access fun things in a way that he can cope. This is where Beams has had such a huge impact on our family life. For him, he has fun away from us, he gets to be himself and he learns some independence.” For Terri, the support allows her to recharge and spend precious family time with Ciaran’s younger sister Rebecca
After two years of fundraising, the once run down garden has been transformed to an inviting, inclusive environment. The area will make a huge difference to so many children that are sadly unable to enjoy public parks due to their disability or special needs.
Terri said: “The garden is amazing, he loves it. The slide is his favourite. He has the space he needs; he can play at his own pace. “He’s safe to be himself. Knowing it is there, he can explore and play in different parts of the garden all day if he wants to. He doesn’t get overwhelmed or have to leave before he’s explored everything he wants to”