PETER PAN CENTRE
Grant support for children s charity
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special needs care centre in Newcastle has had a cash boost thanks to a housing developer. Persimmon Homes West Midlands has awarded The Peter Pan Centre for Children with Special Needs a £1,000 grant as they continue to support local groups and charities in the area. Persimmon donates up to £64,000 a month to fund initiatives as part of the highly successful Community Champions scheme.
Disabled children have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic through isolation and a lack of social interaction with other children and adults. Founded in 1969 as a playgroup for children with disabilities, the centre provides unique services across Staffordshire and Shropshire. It runs weekly specialist education, care and development sessions to support and help children development on a physical, emotional and educational level. Catherine Cook, from the Peter Pan Centre, said: We re absolutely over the moon with this news and would like to pass on our sincere thanks to Persimmon Homes for choosing us.
We are raising money to deliver specialist play therapy sessions to preschool children with complex special needs like Down syndrome and autism. Disabled children have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic through isolation and a lack of social interaction with other children and adults. Catherine added: Parents have relied heavily on us to manage their children s needs throughout the pandemic, often responding to challenging and unexpected behaviours whilst supporting them at home. Without us, some children would have had no support at all and we re working hard to ensure that children with special educational needs regain any lost key skills and overcome the challenges faced to fulfil their potential. We need to raise £250,000
The Peter Pan Centre each year to deliver our lifechanging service so generous donations like this one from Persimmon are vital to help secure our future. David Greengrass, head of sales for Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said: We re delighted to be supporting The Peter Pan Centre for Children with Special Needs with our Community Champions grant this month. Research shows that identifying and providing effective early help is the best way to improve the lives of children born with disabilities both now and in the long-term. Currently there is no statutory educational provision for children under five with special needs so hopefully this funding will help more local children receive the early years support they need. For more information about the centre go online to: https://thepeterpancentre.co.u k. Newcastle Life Issue 33 7
