Commercial property investment and management firm Sandyford Properties has donated £5,000 to install a sensory arbour at a local children’s charity.
The money was donated to the Peter Pan Centre for Children with Special Needs, in Newcastle-under-Lyme as part of a wider specialist playground project.
The sensory arbour is designed to provides both audio and visual stimulation for children. It features musical chimes, artificial grass and multi-coloured polycarbonate sides and roof.
The arbour entrance can improve colour recognition, strengthen memory skills and encourage melodies and music making. It’s an inclusive design which is wheelchair friendly and ideal for children with special educational needs.
Chief Executive of the Peter Pan Centre Catherine Cook said: “There is huge demand for the centre now, so we had to create a playground which is particularly designed to meet complex special educational needs.
“It means we can also open on weekends and offer more to the children we support.
“We think it’s fantastic that Sandyford Properties is so supportive as a local business. As well as being a place of discovery, our Sensory Arbour is also an excellent resource for calming an anxious child and improving positive behaviour.”
The playground will have a new floor with new safety surfacing, meaning play equipment designed for children with special educational needs can be installed. This will include a wheelchair roundabout, a giant playhouse which can be used in all weathers, a timber swing, sensory arbour, play tower with slide and a climb through tunnel hill.
All the selected equipment will help children to develop core muscle strength, balance, and walking skills, it will also teach the children to socialise and to develop their communication skills.
Sandyford Properties’ Managing Director Paul Brindley said: “We feel as a Stoke-on-Trent business it’s important to support local causes.
“The Peter Pan Centre is an excellent facility which provides invaluable provisions for children with special needs and their families. When we heard they needed funds to help develop a specialist playground, we felt compelled to offer a portion of our charity funds to their equipment.
“We can’t wait to see the final result.”
