Ty Laura’s new sensory room opens thanks to major donations

Action for Children’s Ty Laura Short Breaks service in Swansea, which provides respite care and support for children and young people who have learning or physical disabilities and their families, has opened its brand new sensory room thanks to major donations of over £10,000 from events and businesses such as Never Mind the Business Swansea, Persimmon Cash for Kids with The Wave, and Tesco.

Sensory rooms provide a safe haven for children with special needs who struggle with everyday situations. They also support other children with complex needs by stimulating their senses via equipment such as fibre optic lights, bubble tubes, projected moving images and a range of similar toys. The rooms also have soft seating and space where children can lie, or sit supported.

Shelley Pearce, registered manager of Ty Laura short breaks, said: ‘We’re thrilled we’ve been able to provide a brand new sensory room for our children and young people as they get so much from it. They’re already enjoying chilling out in there and having fun so there’s been an immediate impact for the kids. We’re really grateful for all those who donated and helped us provide this brilliant facility.

Never Mind the Business Swansea raised over £37k for Action for Children last October with a special fundraising segment for Ty Laura’s sensory room that raised £5,500 alone. The event returns to Swansea on the 12th October at Brangwyn Hall in Swansea and will be hosted once again by BBC Wales’ Wynne Evans.

Paul Thorburn, former Welsh rugby international, Douglas Jones Mercer representative and chairman of the Never Mind the Business Swansea committee, said: ‘We’re delighted that the Ty Laura sensory room is now up and running thanks to the generosity of those who came to Never Mind the Business in October 2017.

‘To have raised £5,500 for the sensory room alone out of £37,000 overall was brilliant and it will make an immediate difference to the lives of the children and young people who will use it. Knowing the money raised has such an impact in the community will spur us on to make this year’s Never Mind the Business even bigger and better.’

To reserve a table or for more information please contact Nina Rice on 02920 347060/07889 887053 or nina.rice@actionforchildren.org.uk

For further media information please contact Alastair Love, media officer at Action for Children, on 02920 347068 / 07872 675688 / alastair.love@actionforchildren.org.uk

Out–of–hours enquiries should be directed to the duty press officer on 07802 806679/ media.team@actionforchildren.org.uk