Epilepsy sufferers showcase their creative enterprising skills to Princess Alexandra
Published
Princess Alexandra has seen how innovative social enterprises are helping people with epilepsy to realise their potential, during a visit to open a new unit at the Meath Epilepsy Charity.
During her visit, Princess Alexandra officially opened Bradbury House, a new high-needs facility on the charity's campus in Surrey. This new House will provide round-the-clock care for its new residents who are affected by more challenging disabilities in addition to epilepsy.
The Meath Epilepsy Charity offers care and support to people living with complex epilepsy and associated physical and learning disabilities. The charity encourages clients to live life to the full by offering exciting activities such as the Meath Extreme Sports Club and an expressive arts performance group.
Princess Alexandra met the new residents of Bradbury House, and also took a tour of one of their rooms, equipped with state-of-the-art sensory technology.
The Charity also enables clients to participate in innovative social enterprises. At ARTHOUSE Meath, Princess Alexandra met epilepsy sufferers who are encouraged to showcase their art and design skills by making designer products which are sold in shops across the country. The Princess also visited Changing Perceptions, a cafe and furniture up-cycling workshop and saleroom, run by Meath clients.
Profits from these enterprises are reinvested in the Charity's work, and so clients play an important part in the local community and feel valued by seeing their work made into high quality products for people to buy and enjoy.
Guests at the opening included local supporters who have helped to fund the new Bradbury House building through a £2.3 million appeal. Mike Keighley, the Meath's Chief Executive Officer, explained the importance of the new facility: "Our new building is packed full of empowering and enabling assistive technology, much of it bespoke to the individual, so that people will be able to take more control over their lives, perhaps for the very first time."
Keighley added: "We were delighted to welcome such a distinguished Royal visitor to mark the opening of Bradbury House, which is of tremendous importance to our future services."
To find out more about the Meath Epilepsy Charity, visit www.meath.org.uk.
