Royal Visit Launches New Therapeutic Facilities

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, officially opened specialist therapeutic facilities and centre for therapeutic activities and recreation, the Chamwell Centre, located in the grounds of The Milestone School in Gloucester on Tuesday 25 January.

The Princess Royal was given a tour of the new therapeutic facilities, which is the first of its kind in the country to offer fully accessible play areas, inclusive sports clubs and therapy facilities. Her Royal Highness also met the Centre’s benefactors, as well as some of the children from The Milestone School who use the facilities.

Benefiting the physical and emotional wellbeing of both adults and children with disabilities, the Chamwell Centre has been spearheaded by founder Dr Marie Owen, who worked as a paediatrician in Gloucestershire for more than thirty years before her retirement.

Marie and a team of trustees formed the charity which has raised £5.1m to design and build the purpose-built therapeutic facilities, completed in December 2020. With input from clinicians and therapists, the Chamwell Centre has been thoughtfully designed to cater for the complex needs of children attending The Milestone School and the three other special schools, together known as The SAND Academy. During school hours the facilities are used by classes of pupils and, at other times, it is an exceptional resource for anyone in the community who could benefit from its services.

For children, the Centre aims to encourage therapy through play, and offers a discovery zone, soft play area, rebound therapy trampoline, interactive climbing wall and hydrotherapy pool, all with supervision from therapy and appropriate support staff. Outside school hours, the hydrotherapy pool is available for adults with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and spinal problems, to book directly with Centre staff.

In addition, a community café is open to the public, designed with a fully accessible kitchen which makes it possible to offer work experience placements to students. Clubs for playing boccia, a Paralympic sport similar to bowls, table cricket and the paraathletics sport frame running, also known as race running, take place at Chamwell. Launching in February, an inclusive choir is also based at the Centre.

“It was an honour to have The Princess Royal officially open our Centre,” says Marie. “While we opened our doors quietly to pupils, families and local residents over the last few months, it was fantastic to be able to host an official opening with some of the donors that helped make it possible.

“A lot of planning, hard work and generosity has gone into the Chamwell Centre, and we are all looking forward to helping as many people as possible to access inclusive sport, leisure, therapies and play, regardless of disability or age.”

The Chamwell Centre was built entirely by charitable funding and relies on the generosity of the public, businesses and charitable trusts to continue its work and to ensure that children and adults in Gloucestershire can enjoy its facilities. Donations can be made here: https://chamwellcentre.enthuse.com/donate