Chailey charity 'very excited' to welcome Duchess of Cornwall

Chailey Heritage Foundation's chief executive has spoken of the team's excitement that the Duchess of Cornwall is to open its new facility.
Chief executive of Chailey Heritage Foundation Helen HewittChief executive of Chailey Heritage Foundation Helen Hewitt
Chief executive of Chailey Heritage Foundation Helen Hewitt

The Duchess is to officially open the North Chailey charity's £3.1million DREAM (dynamic, real, experiential, amazing, magical) Centre, on Haywards Heath Road, on Thursday (October 17).

It will be her second visit to the charity where her mother Rosalind Shand volunteered – in 2013 she opened its Life Skills Centre.

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In a statement, chief executive Helen Hewitt said: “We are over the moon with the DREAM Centre and very excited to be welcoming HRH The Duchess of Cornwall again.

"We were honoured that she visited Chailey Heritage Foundation in 2013 and she made a huge impact on all the staff and young people.

"It's that bit extra special knowing of her mother's connection to the charity."

Speaking of the new activity centre, which is opening after more than three years of fundraising and includes a sports hall, stage, sensory zone and rebound facilities, she added: "Without the amazing support of trusts, foundations, local businesses and, of course, the local community, we would never have been able to raise the money needed.

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"The new centre has amazing, high-tech equipment to enable these young people to get the most out of life."

Chailey Heritage Foundation, founded in 1903, provides education and care services for those with complex physical disabilities and health needs. The charity shares its North Chailey site and works in partnership with Chailey Clinical Services, part of Sussex Community NHS Trust.

Work on the DREAM centre started in April 2018 and was completed in July.

For more on this story, see here and here

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