Members of the Knockevin Special School Parent Staff Association and pupils in Downpatick today launched the Sparkle Project aimed at raising £50,000 to build two high tech multi-sensory rooms.
Ann Cooper, Knockevin Special School Principal, said: “We really need these two specialised rooms to support our 94 children. They are very sophisticated technically and will help the children to experience auditory, visual and tactile stimulation which will be beneficial and therapeutic for them.
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Staff, parents and pupils at Knockevin Special School in Downpatrick launch the Sparkle Fundraising Project.[/caption]
“These multi-sensory rooms are very expensive and we plan to put one in our Knoeckevin school premises and one in our new outreach school being currently built at Dundrum. Unfortunately, the Department of Education does not have funding for these sensory rooms, so we decided to press ahead ourselves and fundraise. But with the sums recently announced from central government at Stormont we are hopeful that something will trickle down our way. It is a sizeable sum to raise but we have an excellent group of dedicated parents and staff who will be rolling out a number of events over the next year.
“The rooms have special carpets, walls, furniture and a sound and light panel with a projector, bean bag and other items which all help to stimulate the pupil and get responses. This is a very exciting project and our parents and staff are very enthusiastic about it.”
Over the next year, Knockevin Special School will be running a number of events starting off at Christmas in the Slieve Donard Hotel and Spa on 5 December with a Christmas event called Sounds of the Seasons where we will sell tickets and hold a raffle. This event will be publicised soon, along with the Christmas service in the St Patrick Centre on 14 December.
Mrs Cooper added: “To date we have run several small events to kickstart the fundraising but next year we will have a big golf day, a garden party, and a 10k fun run and walk. We are having a bucket collection at Asda this Christmas as well as a bag filling day in the Christmas period so it will be all hands to the pump.”
Check out the school website and give the school your support at:
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