Centre providing life-changing therapies under threat due to donation fall

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LIFE-changing therapies for children with cerebral palsy and adults with Parkinson’s are under threat after a significant fall in donations.

The Rainbow Centre in Fareham needs to raise £100,000 by August in order to keep their services going and support families across the south who attend their centre throughout the year.

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Chief Executive James Mudie said: ‘We don’t want to have to cut back on services as they are crucial to those people that receive them but we must have the funds in place to be able to deliver them.’

Community donations to The Rainbow Centre have fallen by 30 per cent in this financial year and if that cannot be turned around in the next three months there will need to be review of the level of services provided by the centre including conductive education.

The Rainbow Centre based on the outskirts of Fareham in Hampshire is facing severe financial difficulties 

Picture: Malcolm Wells (19063-1226)The Rainbow Centre based on the outskirts of Fareham in Hampshire is facing severe financial difficulties 

Picture: Malcolm Wells (19063-1226)
The Rainbow Centre based on the outskirts of Fareham in Hampshire is facing severe financial difficulties Picture: Malcolm Wells (19063-1226)

The therapy helps children with cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions, and adults with Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis or recovering from a stroke to retrain their brains and create new neurological pathways.

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James added: ‘The therapies are truly life-changing. I have seen children and adults come to the centre with bleak diagnoses such as they will never talk or walk again.

‘I have seen those same people walk out of here chatting with family and friends.’

The centre, which costs £850,000 to run per year, currently supports 110 families who travel from around the south to access its services.

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Livvy Collins’ nephew Stan Honeyman has been visiting the facility, which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year, since September 2016 and the-five-year-old has come on leaps and bounds according to his family.

Livvy said: ‘The centre has been so supportive of Stan and our family. He has made so much development there and last week rode a bike by himself.

‘It would be absolutely awful if it closed for him and all the other children and adults who use the centre and I truly hope people donate to save them.’

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The family has raised £8,000 over the last two years by taking part in skydives.

Trustee Paul Samms praised those who have fundraised in the last few years and hopes more people will help in their time of need.

He said: ‘I think people have been preoccupied these last few years but we need people to be prepared to put their hands in their pockets to make sure this place which really does change lives.

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‘When I was interviewed for this role I saw a boy who could not even hold his head up but five years on I see him run past me on his walker with a big smile on his face and it brings tears to my eyes. This place and its staff are amazing.’

James added: ‘The work of our dedicated team truly transforms peoples’ lives - whether they are young children with cerebral palsy or older people with neurological conditions.

‘These are conditions that affect all of us in our communities, so as a charity we are relevant to everyone and we want people in Fareham and across the area to remember we are here.’

For advice or support on what you can do to fundraise and how to pay the money to us please call on 01329 289500 or email

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