Hitchin Road gear up for August party to raise funds for sensory hub
Support practitioners Sophie and Freya have been busy organising the event
Mocktails, a raffle and delicious cakes will be on offer at a party at Hft Bedfordshire to raise money for a new garden sensory hub.
Support practitioners Freya Cutts and Sophie Melton have been working with people supported at 117 Hitchin Road in Shefford to pull together a fundraising bash on the afternoon of August 27.
The money raised will be split between two causes
Some of the funds will go towards a new sensory room in the garden at the residential service where the eight learning disabled adults who live there can go to chill, reflect and relax.
Money will also go to Breast Cancer Research. A person supported at Hitchin Road is currently in remission from breast cancer following treatment.
Freya and Sophie are also planning an information stall at the fundraising day, giving information on the importance on checking breasts and having regular mammograms.
The fundraising afternoon, which will be attended by family, friends and people supported by Hft across Bedfordshire, will feature a bake sale, a tombola with more than 100 donated prizes, a raffle, photo booth and a mocktail bar.
There will also be food on offer and garden games as well as a competition to guess the weight of the cake and a quiz.
The plans for the day have been put together by Freya and Sophie and those supported at Hitchin Road – who will also be helping on the day by helping to run stalls and sell tombola and raffle tickets.
Former Shefford Mayor, Ken Pollard – a huge supporter of the charity – will also be at the event.
Freya, who has worked at Hitchin Road for five years, said: “It will be a fun day for everyone.
“The people we support have been heavily involved in the planning of the event and are looking forward to helping on the day, running stalls and selling raffle and tombola tickets.”
The new sensory hub is expected to cost around £4,000. It will feature special lighting and a music system as well as sensory activities including fidget boards.
“The people we support were keen to create a quieter space where they can go to relax, think and reflect and perhaps just spend some time alone,” said Sophie, who joined Hft four years ago.
“It will have a chilled vibe, with relaxing music and lighting and sensory elements for people to enjoy.
The sensory hub will complement the service’s on-site pub in the garden – The Buzz Inn.
The pub, in a log cabin, was opened in 2023 and has its own specially built wheelchair accessible bar, fridge, till, coffee corner and a TV.
The pub was funded with a grant from The Honeyman Trust and fundraising and donations from families.
117 Hitchin Road Service Manager Claire Davies-Sond said: “Freya and Sophie have worked with me for over 3.5 years and to see them both flourish and grow is one of the best parts of my job.
“I cannot express how proud I am of them both.
“What they are doing is huge and they and have literally done everything independently, from initially sharing the idea for my feedback to gathering all needed and how to make the day perfect, not least the full involvement of the people they support so well.
“I am so looking forward to the day to see them both in action.”
