Local Funding Helps Dalton-In-Furness Open New Sensory Space

A Dalton-in-Furness nursery school has opened a new sensory room for its children, thanks in part to a £5,000 donation from a Lake District hotel group.

Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School has converted an existing space for the sensory room to provide children with a calm and stimulating learning environment.

The infant and nursery school was able to go ahead with the project following the financial contribution from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, as well as a host of fundraising activities to cover the overall cost. The hotel group’s mascot Sam the Dog was guest of honour on a special visit to see the children and the opening of the new facility.

The new sensory room provides an environment for the children where they can experience an array of educational activities focusing on feel, sight, sound and smell. It will also help build on some of the more abstract senses, such as space, time, togetherness and wellbeing.

The room was installed by Creative Activity and contains a range of stimulating pieces of equipment including bubble tubes, vibrating pads, a multi-surface wall area, multi-coloured mirrors, an infinity mirror, sensory floor tiles, a sound reactive rainbow wall and a sensory tent.

Head teacher at the school Scott Macmillan says:

“We recognised the need to provide a sensory room to assist and nurture our infant and nursery school pupils’ learning and development."

“Mental health and wellbeing are at the core of our new curriculum and this facility will be used by every child in school."

“Sensory learning is a crucial aspect of their development through early pre-school and toddler years, so it’s great to see the sensory room up and running thanks to the help of local initiatives like Sam’s Club.”

The donation from English Lakes Hotels was made via its Sam’s Club Charity which supports local charities and good causes. The school also received donations from local charities and businesses, including Furness Building Society, Anchor Court Residents, Furness Rotary Club and South Lakeland Masonic Boxing Club.

Teresa Lawrence from English Lakes Hotels adds:

“We are proud to be part of bringing this sensory room to life, providing a wonderful space for the children's development. It is incredibly rewarding to see our Sam's Club Charity making a positive impact in the local community.”

Several events were also held by the school to fund the project including movie nights, non-uniform days and a family bingo evening at the Wellington pub in Dalton in Furness which raised nearly £3,000. One brave parent took the plunge with a donated sky dive at Flookburgh to raise a further £1,300.

The total raised was a staggering £11,500 which paid for the sensory room and additional equipment and furniture in the adjoining Burrow, a nurture room where children can do a variety of activities such as baking, music and creative lessons all linked to emotional wellbeing.

As a token of appreciation, the school has put up a commemorative plaque on the door of the sensory room to acknowledge all of those who made the project possible by donating their funds and time.

Electrical and joinery work was completed by AC Electric and Graham Barnes respectively. Mr Macmillan himself spent a weekend painting the new facility to enhance the colours in the room, whilst his father-in-law Edward Young also helped to remove some worktops to make more floor space.

Sensory rooms underpin personal, social and emotional development and can be particularly valuable in allowing children with different levels of ability to have a more positive influence on their surrounding environment.