Our new President opens residential houses and sensory garden

 

The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry officially opened our new multi-million pound residential development and sensory garden in Edinburgh.

 

The campus provides accommodation for up to 25 youngsters who are multiply disabled and visually impaired on a 52 week basis. The houses have been refurbished to take account of the very specific user needs incorporating the most up to date aids and equipment without loosing a ‘homely’ and supportive atmosphere. The customised design of the houses is the product of a high degree of collaboration amongst parents, staff, associated agencies and architects.

 

The £100,000 Sensory Garden provides a secure, nurturing space for pupils and includes many features such as:  raised flowerbeds with distinctive differences to stimulate the senses of smell and touch; various walkway surfaces for children to explore; areas such as steps and gradients to moderately challenge the children; and an impressive water feature.

 

Iain Prain, Vice Principal of the Royal Blind School said: "It's very important for our young people to experience things first hand. When you have little or no sight, a great deal of incidental learning is lost, and the garden is going to give a stimulating and tranquil space for our young people to explore."

 

The school teaches pupils from all over the country and hopes to encourage them to be as independent as possible.

 

Deputy Head Julie Jamieson said: "They're obviously happy in the facility. It's not something that is easy to quantify, but for our young people you can tell by the way that they are in the atmosphere that they're happy - the smiling faces of the young people."

 

And 15-year-old Christopher Mills certainly agrees. He commented: "It's different than staying at home, but I like it, I like staying here."

We are hosting our inaugural charity dinner and quiz on Thursday 3 April at Murrayfield Stadium. talk107 and Deuchars IPA are supporting the event and talk107 breakfast host Scott Wilson will be hosting the evening with some of the biggest names in football and rugby.