Service users at Highbury Resource Centre have laid the 5,000th brick in the £750,000 modernisation of the building. <br><br>The new service will be offering more opportunities in employment, education and leisure to people with learning disabilities and supporting them to develop life skills and participate more in life and activities outside the centre. <br><br>The massive refurbishment programme is part of a drive to move the centre away from being a traditional building-based service to being better linked into the community. <br><br>As part of this move towards encouraging more independence, the new centre will house a café project which will allow people to gain valuable work experience and confidence.<br><br>There will also be a professional standard dance studio as well as a multi-sensory facility for people with complex needs and a glass-roofed gardening area.<br><br>Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Cllr Meral Ece, said: "One half of the centre is staying open while the work goes on in the other half so we can keep a continuity of service. We expect the first phase to finish in October this year and the second by next February 2006. <br><br>By then users will have a brand new building offering a completely different kind of service to the adults who come here every day. The café project will give people a chance to learn catering skills. Training in office skills and travelling independently is also planned. We’re determined to give people with learning disabilities every chance to be included in local life by giving them the skills to become more independent.<br><br>We’re also very happy to be improving our facilities for people with more complex physical needs."<br><br>Ends
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009