Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre named!

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust has announced the new name for its Llanelli centre of excellence – Ty Aberddafen.

The centre in The Avenue, Llanelli, will be the charity’s first service in Wales. The project is designed to enable service users to live closer to their families and local community while they are undergoing rehabilitation.

The Chief Executive of BIRT’s parent charity The Disabilities Trust, Barrie Oldham, and Director of BIRT, Susan Munroe attended the name unveiling, joining the Mayor of Llanelli, Councillor Mike Burns and members of the Town Council and Carmarthenshire County Council.

The new centre will form a part of BIRT’s UK network of services which provides specialist brain injury rehabilitation for people with brain injuries. The centre will also provide up to 60 new jobs in the region.

The service will provide accommodation for 24 adults in 18 en-suite bedrooms, two single bedroom flats for people approaching the point of being able to live independently, and a further four flats within a bungalow for long term use by residents who can live semi independently but who still need the continuing support and immediate availability of the professional team.

The facility is being established within the Llanelli Waterside – a Joint Venture partnership between Carmarthenshire County Council and Welsh Government – and forms part of the Delta Lakes development zone.

BIRT consulted a range of local organisations including Llanelli Town Council regarding the new name and the charity’s final choice was put forward by Cllr Roger Price.

Work is progressing well with the service, with completion due in the early spring 2014. The Trust has also announced that it has appointed Dr Tracey Ryan-Morgan as Consultant Neuropsychologist for the new service. Dr Ryan-Morgan is a very experienced neuropsychologist who has worked in South Wales for a number of years.

Mr Oldham said: “This development is really something special for us and I hope it will be special for South Wales and Llanelli in particular.”

Llanelli Town Mayor Cllr Mike Burns said: “We are grateful that Llanelli has been chosen and also think it is a wise choice. Llanelli has a long history of campaigning for social justice and for people who are disadvantaged in one way or another. BIRT are becoming well recognised for their work.”

Carmarthenshire County Council leader Cllr Kevin Madge said: “The facility will provide a service for people with brain injuries and their families who would otherwise have to travel hundreds of miles.

“It’s a huge boost to Carmarthenshire and will provide well paid jobs for years to come.”