Charity's new centre for disabled children opens

The new centre has sensory rooms and an education and skills suite

A new centre for disabled young people is expected to improve the lives of hundreds of families, according to a charity.

The Ryedale Special Families purpose-built accessible facility in Pickering was designed to help the charity offer its services from one location for the first time.

The organisation supports children and young adults with disabilities, illnesses and additional needs and chief executive Lisa Keenan said it had been "an amazing community effort" over seven years to get the centre opened.

"There are going to be thousands of people who are going to benefit from this building," she said.

"This is going to last us the next 20 or 30 years, meaning we can continue supporting families in the local area," Ms Keenan added.

The £2.2m centre has sensory rooms, a music room, fully accessible Changing Places toilets and an education and skills centre with a kitchen.

It was paid for by fundraising efforts, alongside donations and grants from organisations including Pickering Town Council and The Wolfson Foundation.

Rhiann's 17-year-old daughter has been supported by the charity since 2018.

She said it was "absolutely fantastic" that the new centre had opened.

"For the first time in seven years, my daughter is able to come somewhere that meets her needs and she's slowly building a relationship with her peers here," she said.

"It's just lovely to see her out the house."

Rhiann said it was "absolutely fantastic" that her daughter could attend the new centre

Ryedale Special Families was founded more than 25 years ago and provides social care, specialist education, and social activities across Malton, Pickering and Helmsley.

It was previously based in rented premises in Malton which could not be fully adapted for disabilities or additional needs and had to be accessed through a haulage yard,

After a 2018 fundraising campaign, the charity bought a plot of land off Outgang Lane in Pickering and building work began in October 2023.

Richard, Andrea and their son were frequent visitors to the old site and said the new facilities were "tremendous".

"It's indescribable - since it has moved up here, it has transformed the time that he spends with Ryedale Special Families," Richard said.

Rydedale Special Families has been supporting Richard and Andrea's son for more than a decade

He joked that the problem was now "getting him out the building, not getting him in", adding that the new building had been "a long time coming".

"The staff and helpers do such an amazing job, and this building is no less than they deserve.

"That's before we start on the people who use the service and how much they deserve it too. It's just a wonderful thing to see."

The new centre was officially opened on Tuesday by the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Jo Ropner.

The centre includes sensory rooms and a music room

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