Linkage Community Trust Awarded £164,316 in National Lottery Funding for Sensory Outreach Service
Registered charity, Linkage Community Trust, is thrilled to announce that it has received £164,316 in National Lottery funding to support its sensory outreach service. The charity, which supports individuals with learning disabilities and autism, will use the grant to create a new mobile sensory space that will bring sensory experiences to children and adults across Greater Lincolnshire.
The Linkage Outreach team currently delivers services from a converted single decker bus, which has served its purpose well over the years. However, as the bus has begun to show its age, the charity is excited to upgrade to a new, state-of-the-art vehicle. 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. By bringing the service directly to smaller community spaces, the new vehicle will be able to reach and benefit those who may not have had the opportunity to experience sensory therapy before. It will also serve as inspiration to parents, teachers, carers, and professionals in different support environments.
Niz Smith, the Outreach Project Coordinator, expressed her excitement about the funding, saying: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognized 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.”
Along with 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/
For media requests, interviews, photos, and further information please contact:
Bria Russell
Email: communications@linkage.org.uk
Phone: 01473 372 314
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.