Three new innovative sensory spaces were officially launched at Sunnyfield’s McCabe Community Services Hub, Kariong, on Wednesday, October 15, to help support people with an intellectual and physical disability through promoting community inclusion and teaching life skills.
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation provided $87,000 to Sunnyfield for the development of the sensory spaces, which includes a garden and trampoline area, sensory courtyard and indoor sensory room. Charitable Foundation chairman Mr Michael Slater said the new sensory spaces would help improve the health and wellbeing of Sunnyfi eld’s clients on a daily basis. “Regular participation in sensory spaces can help an individual relax whilst stimulating the senses, and as a result enhancing engagement in their everyday surroundings,” Mr Slater said. “All three spaces create a highly interactive and experiential environment for Sunnyfield’s clients, with the sensory gardens allowing them to learn sustainable environment practices. “Helping the more disadvantaged members of our community is a key objective and fits with the ethos of the Charitable Foundation,” Mr Slater said. According to recent statistics 17,800 people on the Central Coast require daily support due to a disability. Sunnyfield CEO Ms Caroline Cuddihy said the sensory experience would not have been possible without funding from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation. “The McCabe Community Services Hub rejuvenation project has shown how partnerships enable inclusion for those with disability. “These new sensory spaces provide unique and enriching experiences for Sunnyfield clients. One of the highlights of the interactive space is an indigenous mural. ‘The Story of Yhi’, created by local indigenous artist Kylie Cassidy, celebrates the Darkinjung people’s creation story. The mural mirrors the vision of Sunnyfield, bringing an abundance of opportunity to the Central Coast community and those living with disability.
Media release,
13 Oct 2014
Sarah-Jane Stevenson,
Enigma