Coalfields Regeneration Trust grant puts Sensory Centre on road to success

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has made a £53,000 grant to Forth Valley Sensory Centre to fund a multipurpose 15 seat minibus which doubles as a mobile exhibition centre and will be used to help those with sighting and hearing impairments to travel to the centre and for outreach work.

[UKPRwire, Thu Oct 08 2009] People whose sight or hearing is impaired, from coalfield communities in Scotland’s Forth Valley area will benefit from a ‘two for the price of one’ minibus funded by a £53,000 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Forth Valley Sensory Centre used the grant to buy a 15-seater minibus whose seats can be removed to transform the vehicle into a mobile exhibition centre.

Joe Thomas, Scottish Trustee of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust handed over the keys at a special ceremony, attended by service users, councillors and MSPs at the Forth Valley Sensory Centre in Falkirk, Stirlingshire.

Mr Thomas said: “The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is delighted to be able to support the Centre which does a terrific job to improve the quality of life for people whose sight or hearing is impaired.

“The staff put a lot of work into sourcing a vehicle that will give them real value for money, by acting as both a minibus and as an exhibition centre they can take round the whole area.

“We wish them every success in providing such a wide range of services to people with real needs in former mining communities all over the Forth Valley.”

The Centre’s Project Manager Maria Dick said: “The minibus will be a tremendous asset, and enable us to give a much better service to people who live in remote areas around Falkirk, and those who have to travel from Stirling and Clackmannanshire.

“Feedback from current and potential service users cite transport difficulties as the main reason for not visiting the Centre more often.

“The minibus will also enable existing groups to expand their current activities to include outings and excursions those without impairments take for granted.

“We have a double benefit in that we can remove the seats and turn the minibus into a mobile exhibition centre, to provide information and outreach services to the more remote parts of the Forth Valley.”

The Forth Valley Sensory Centre is a joint venture between Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils, NHS Forth Valley, RNIB, RNID, and Guide Dogs.

The Sensory Centre aims to improve the quality of life for those with sensory impairment in the Forth Valley, including around 1,500 blind or partially sighted people and around 2,000 with significant hearing impairment.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust was formed in 1999 to help mining communities recover from the devastating effects of pit closures. Since then the Trust has spent over £15m in Scotland supporting over 500 community-based and job creation projects in the hardest hit areas.