Wokingham

Wokingham Borough Council’s eagerly-awaited Acorn Community Centre for adults with learning disabilities is really beginning to take root and will open its doors for the first time in May.

And to mark the occasion, executive member for Wokingham social care services and housing Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons joined local adults with learning disabilities, who attend Wokingham Resource and Opportunity Centre (WROC), to plant an oak tree, which was kindly donated by Oliver Ward from Heartwood Tree Specialists.

Planning permission was granted in April 2006 for the new centre in Woosehill and building work started in September 2006 on Wokingham council-owned land ear-marked for community development near to Morrisons.

Local adults with learning disabilities who attend WROC have been involved every step of the way in designing and equipping their brand new centre.

Consultation with service users and their families and carers on how the proposed new Wokingham community resource centre and facilities could be developed and fitted out to best meet their needs has been carried out as part of an overall six year consultation programme on service modernisation.

And clients have had their say in naming the building and also the centre’s coffee bar - the Rainbow Café. They also marked the start of the building work by helping to dig the first turf. It is hoped a new greenhouse for Growing Places Berkshire, the horticultural therapy charity who will manage the garden area at the new Acorn Community Centre, will be built on site soon. People with learning disabilities who use the new centre will be able to take part in plant sales and other horticultural activities once the green house is built.

Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, executive member for Wokingham social care services and housing, said: “The people who will use the centre have been involved in the project from the start. They are very excited the building is nearing completion and they are looking forward to moving in very soon.

“I would very much like to thank Heartwood Tree Specialists who have very kindly donated the oak tree which is very apt bearing in mind the name of the centre which was chosen by the adults who will use it.”

Oliver Ward of Heartwood Tree Specialists said: “We have undertaken tree work for the borough council for many years. So when we heard of the project at the Acorn Centre, we were very pleased to be able to donate and plant a suitable tree to commemorate the opening of it. We chose an English Oak to plant as it complements the name of the centre and over time both will grow and be appreciated and enjoyed by the community.”

Services are being developed in line with the national policy ‘Valuing People’, which sets out new opportunities for people with learning disabilities and their families to live full and independent lives as part of their local communities. The new Woosehill building will also provide specialist dedicated facilities for those people who have the most profound disabilities.

Wokingham Borough Council