Page 3 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • August 2009 3
Liz Hurley commits to starry fundraising event to see CYCLe rePAIrS
Hop, Skip & Jump Centre open in Lydiard Park Free collection

A groundbreaking and environmentally friendly respite care centre for children with disabilities could & delivery from
be ready to welcome families to Lydiard Park in about 15 months - subject to planning permission and home or work
nearly £1 million being raised.
Hop, Skip and Jump, a charity sions on some evenings, a Saturday tenham for respite care, so there is ★ Servicing & repairs
with well established and highly club and care in the school holidays. a lot of positive support to see a Over 25 yrs ★ New cycles
regarded facilities in Bristol and Some 500 respite care sessions will similar project here.” experience ★ Parts & accessories
Cheltenham, will run the centre be on offer each week. Parent Toni John agreed. “Parents
located on the edge of the car park, Swindon Council architects Nic need respite from looking after a Safety alert
opposite the cafe. Each centre is run Newland and Tony Currivan have child with disability, and siblings Bikes bought on the internet
on a day-to-day basis by a local drawn up the plans for a large log need a break - as do the children or mail order must be checked
management committee and a fund- cabin to house soft play and sensory themselves. Hop Skip and Jump before being ridden. CALL NOW
raising group will be established to rooms, a ball pit and meeting spaces provide fantastic support. Parents fOr fAst, frieNdLy serviCe
gain financial backing from local for parents, with access to specialist can’t wait to see a respite centre in
and national businesses, as well as play equipment outdoors. The final Swindon.” Phil Mitchell: 874873 day or eve.
organising smaller events in and design will have a living sedum www.hopskipandjump.org.uk or 07850 650956 (mobile)
around Swindon. roof, and may include environ-
James Arkell will chair the fund- mental features such as a ground
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Barrie Brannigan of Hop, Skip and Jump, left, with Mark Green
and Lynne Godwin, manager of the Cheltenham centre,
with potential users at Lydiard Park
raising committee and Hop, Skip source heat pump and a rainwater
and Jump president Liz Hurley has harvesting system.
agreed to attend a glitzy event in Barrie Brannigan, Hop, Skip and
the future which will be organised Jump chief executive, said he was
around her commitments. delighted with the progress of the
Outline plans were displayed for project in Swindon. “We’ve estab-
the first time at the visitor centre on lished a close working relationship
3 July and building work could be with the authority over the last two
underway in the Autumn. The facil- years and I’m very pleased with the
ity would be open six days a week support from parents, the public
for visits from special needs groups and council officers. The comments
and schools and for families to drop at the public display were very
into. There would be after school ses- encouraging, both from parents
who want to see a local centre and
Love Lydiard on 27 July members of the public interested
in fundraising.
Lydiard Park becomes an even big- “Everybody is very excited by
ger play area on Monday 27 July, the designs being put forward for
12noon to 3pm, when children can planning permission.”
go pond-dipping, search for creepy He added that before building
crawlies in a bug hunt, make a tree work can start, the charity has to
spirit and create a dream play area show Swindon Council that it has
using plasticine. money in the bank or future finan-
Pick up a trail by the children’s cial backing. “Hop, Skip and Jump
play area and seek out the differ- has a good track record in attract-
ent activities in the woodlands, on ing funding from businesses. Our
the lawn in front of the house and president Liz Hurley has agreed to
by the lakes. All activities are free help by attending an event, prob-
and no booking is required, but ably a ball, but that’s for the local
children must be accompanied fundraising group to decide.”
by an adult. Mark Green, Integrated Service
The event is a Swindon Playbuilder Manager for Swindon Council’s
Project, programmed as part of Disabled Children Service, said
Love Parks Week - a national parents were eager to see Hop,
celebration of parks and open Skip and Jump in Swindon. “Many
spaces. currently travel to Bristol or Chel-

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