Knockevin launches big fundraising drive

Knockevin launches big fundraising drive

25 November 2015

A MAJOR fundraising drive has been launched to secure new multi-sensory rooms for Knockevin Special School in Downpatrick and Dundrum.

The Sparkle Project was launched at a special assembly at the school’s Downpatrick site on Friday.

The school’s Parent Staff Association is hoping to raise £50,000 over the next year for the refurbishment of Downpatrick’s outdated sensory room and the creation of a new multi-sensory unit in Dundrum.

Association chairwoman Paula Dillon said parents and staff decided upon the idea following a number of recent successful fundraisers for Knockevin, which caters for children with severe and profound learning difficulties from the age of three to 19.

She said the Downpatrick facility was in urgent need of refurbishment, while the new Dundrum 

campus, which provides a feeder facility for the Downpatrick senior school, had no sensory room at all.

“Hopefully other parents and family members will come on board and we can work together towards the target,” she said.

“We have a bag-pack in Asda on December 21 and hope members of the public will support us then to get the campaign underway.”

Knockevin mum Kelly O’Reilly, who has a son with autism who attends Knockevin, said the new facilities, once available, would be of benefit to all children at the school.

“These rooms are very much-needed because sensory processing disorder is an issue that affects so many of our children,” she said.

“Personally from the world of autism I know children get a lot of enjoyment from these rooms and the activities they offer.”

Knockevin Special School principal Anne Cooper said the aim of the Sparkle campaign was to have a unique multi-sensory room in both schools that are fully equipped with a range of specialist, state of the art, interactive equipment.  

“When combined the equipment use a mixture of lights, sounds, vibrations and tactile sensations to encourage a child or young person to explore their environment, to promote their development and to have fun,” she said.

“There will be a number of events organised this year including a bag pack in Asda on December 21 and a 10K run on the June 11. The school is applying to some trusts and foundations for funding but the aim is to raise £50,000.”