Work has begun on a new respite centre for disabled young people and their families in the Highlands.
Elsie Normington realised the need for better services and facilities for people with disabilities in the north of Scotland after her son Andrew was diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy aged 4.
In the years that followed, she campaigned for this support to be made more widely available. Her son is now 36 and lives in his own home with 24/7 care.
She set up the Elsie Normington Foundation as a charity in May 2013 to raise funds to build the Haven Centre, which will be on Murray Road in Inverness.
Once completed, it will host three two-bedroom respite flats for young adults up to the age of 30, an indoor specialist play centre with childcare facilities, a community café, meeting spaces and outdoor garden.
The £4.1m project has been backed by the Scottish Government, National Lottery Community Fund and Highland Council, and is being carried out by Compass Building and Construction Services.
‘Another significant milestone’
Elsie Normington, chairwoman and founder of the foundation said the Haven Centre would be “life changing” for young people with disabilities and their families.
“The start of construction marks another significant milestone in our journey to make the Haven Centre a reality,” she said.
“The Haven Centre is not only much needed but will be life changing for children and
young adults with severe learning disabilities and their families.”
Fundraising for the centre is still ongoing to support operational costs and enhance services. Once open, it will be run by the foundation alongside other groups including Key Community Supports and SNAP (Special Needs Action Project).
‘The first centre of its kind in the whole of Scotland’
Works to build the Haven Centre are expected to last around one year, and local MP Drew Hendry explained the difference it would make to the area once it became fully functioning.
He said: “This project has been a long time in the making, and a lot of heart and soul has gone into getting it off the ground.
“Once work is finished and the centre opens, this will be the first centre of its kind in the whole of Scotland. In the Highlands, we’ve long had a reputation for being caring and compassionate, and initiatives such as the Haven Centre speak to that.
“One of the lessons I think we’ve all learned during the pandemic is that respite from the stresses of our lives is incredibly important in today’s world, and it’s something we should embrace. As we recover and rebuild, it’s fantastic to see programmes with this message at the heart of what they do, like this one, brought to life.”
