Josh’s crew are on board for a jolly new adventure Charity opens purpose-built facility
ACHARITY which offers support to children with complex needs has opened a purpose-built facility.
Jolly Josh, which aims to relieve the needs of disabled children and young people, their families and carers within Rochdale, opened the facility at a warehouse on Ensor Mill off Queensway.
The charity was started by Carole and James Kelly following the death of their son Josh in 2017.
Popular Heywood businessman Peter Cordwell offered the charity 10 years of free rent at his premises in Castleton.
On Saturday, April 30, Jolly Josh opened the doors of the new centre for the first time and welcomed children and families.
Fundraising manager Sarah Ford said: “It was a fabulous day.
“It was lovely to just see the families come in and see the facility we’ve now got in Rochdale.
“We invited families of disabled children to come and have a look round with a view to using the centre - we also invited people who had worked on the building as we had a lot of contractors who did things for free.
“Because of Covid it’s been difficult with tradesmen and getting materials. It was all done via fundraising and people doing things for nothing but we’re here now.
“It was great seeing their faces and the parents were excited to meet likeminded parents and talk freely about what’s happening with their children.”
Rochdale Freemasons, who donated to the centre, attended the opening day as did Mayor of Rochdale Aasim Rashid who cut the ribbon alongside founder Carole.
The new centre hosts specialist equipment and resources to meet the needs of families ‘to provide fully inclusive access, comfort and furthermore dignity’. It also features the borough’s second-ever ‘Changing Place’ accessible toilet.
Sarah added: “There’s nowhere like it in Rochdale, this is the first. Prior to this Jolly Josh was run from Springside School but since Covid it’s not been run but now we’ve got a purpose-built centre.
“We have a ‘magic carpet’ that reflects on the floor so they can play football or play with the fish in the fish tank. It’s a projector on the ceiling that reflects on the floor so they can have various things to play with.
“It’s an inclusive centre with disabled access and we’ve also got a hydrotherapy pool to open later in the year.”
To find out more about Jolly Josh visit: www.jollyjosh.co.uk