Linkage celebrates after receiving £160K of National Lottery funding to create a new mobile sensory space

Registered charity, Linkage Community Trust, is celebrating after being awarded £164,316 in National Lottery funding to support its sensory outreach service. The charity, that supports people with learning disabilities and autism, will use the grant to create a new mobile sensory space. The new facility will bring sensory experiences to children and adults across Greater Lincolnshire.

The Linkage Outreach team currently deliver services from a converted single decker bus, which has admirably served its purpose over the years but has begun to show its age. In previous years Linkage Outreach has run up to 40 community days and visited up to 23 schools per year, providing each with seven visits to ensure pupils receive the maximum benefit and enjoyment from the experience.

Thanks to The National Lottery players, the new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will provide a new mobile sensory vehicle that will enable Linkage to improve the service, reaching more individuals and smaller communities.

This vital community resource supports individuals to improve communication skills and helps to increase calmness, relaxation, concentration, and wellbeing.  It’s able to reach and benefit those that otherwise may not have the opportunity to experience any form of sensory therapy, and serves as inspiration to parents, teachers, carers, and professionals of different support environments.

Niz Smith, the Outreach Project Coordinator, says:
“We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to the National Lottery players, we’ll be able to reach into smaller community spaces and get right into the heart of Lincolnshire’s rural communities. This is important because in a large rural county like Lincolnshire, it can be very difficult for people to access services but by bringing the service to them we’re overcoming these barriers. Above all, we’ve seen the benefits and joy people experience using the bus and the difference it can make.”

Alongside its sensory outreach, Linkage provides person-centred services supporting people with learning disabilities and autism. This includes delivering high quality specialist education, care, community support, adult day services, employability and support services across Greater Lincolnshire and East Riding, Yorkshire. The new sensory bus will join their sensory outreach service later this year.

For more information about the Linkage Sensory Outreach, visit: linkage.org.uk/outreach/