Dransfield cycle team go extra mile to revamp Sheffield children’s centre

Dransfield cycle team go extra mile to revamp Sheffield children’s centre

24 March 2011

A dedicated centre for children with disabilities in Sheffield was given a fantastic face-lift last weekend (18 -20 March 2011) thanks to a generous team of cyclists, fielded by South Yorkshire based retail developers Dransfield Properties Ltd.

Mark Dransfield, Managing Director of Dransfield Properties Ltd, led the twenty strong team of friends, family and colleagues who donated their time and skills to give the Ryegate Children’s Centre in Broomhill a ‘changing rooms’ style make-over.

Mark and his fellow cyclists recently biked 326 miles from Marseille in France to Portofino in Italy to raise money for The Children’s Hospital Charity, which supports the work of the centre.

The team raised £15,574 through their fundraiser but decided they didn’t want to stop there.

During a visit to the centre the team were so moved by the patients and families they met they decided to offer their muscle to help complete the refurbishment of the waiting area, gym and meeting/ treatment room in the Ryegate Therapy Block.

The Ryegate Therapy Block is the home of the Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Hydrotherapy services for children with disabilities in Sheffield and is run by Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, whose work is supported by The Children’s Hospital Charity.

Each year at the Therapy Block over 3000 treatment sessions are provided for disabled children and over 200 new children, having been diagnosed with a disability, come to meet the team to start their rehabilitation.

The make-over weekend involved Mark and his team working through the night on Friday 18 March to ensure everything could be finished on time. Inspired by the cyclists’ commitment to the project staff from the hospital trust and The Children’s Hospital Charity also lent a hand over the weekend, along with parents of children who use the centre.

During the marathon make-over various enhancements were made to the centre including: a striking new entrance feature, exterior cladding, a new ceiling in seminar room, full interior repaint throughout, new sensory room with UV lights, new storage facilities, consulting bays in gym area, doors replaced throughout, new flooring throughout the centre and new lighting in the corridor and seminar room. Toys and equipment, mirrors, whiteboards and new artwork were also added.

Motorbike champion James Toseland, a keen supporter of The Children’s Hospital Charity, also donated money to the project to help purchase various pieces of equipment.

Mark Dransfield, Managing Director of Dransfield Properties Ltd, said: “I have been overwhelmed by how generous people have been with their time and money to make this project happen. We worked in shifts from Friday afternoon right through to Sunday night and the commitment from the whole team has been incredible.

“As a company Dransfield Properties has been delighted to support the Ryegate Centre in this way and the reaction of the staff at the centre when they came in on Sunday afternoon made it all worthwhile – everyone who has taken part should feel really proud of themselves because so many children from our region will benefit from their hard work.”

Gavin Ward, partner at WCEC Architects in Chesterfield who was also heavily involved with the project, said: “I had been thinking of doing a 10k run to raise money for The Childrens Hospital Charity after my daughter Lily was treated there last year - so I was delighted to get involved when I was asked to take on the Ryegate project with Dransfield Properties.

“It’s been more of a marathon than a 10k but it has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve been involved with. I’ve been working on the Ryegate plans since January and seeing it all take shape over the weekend has been amazing.”

Jenny Featherstone, Team Leader for Community Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Service at The Ryegate Children’s Centre, said: “I can't believe how much a place can change in a weekend. It has been a fantastic transformation.

“When staff arrived at work this week, there were gasps of amazement and a real sense of wow. Throughout the week, parents have been commenting on how great it looks and the children have been enjoying the new equipment and environment. We are all so grateful for all the hard work and generosity of everyone who has contributed to the project.”

 Cat Powell, Art for Health co-ordinator at The Children’s Hospital Charity, who has been managing the project, said: “It has been a pleasure to be involved with such a fantastic project and to work with Mark, Gavin and the staff at Ryegate to create such a wonderful space for the children who attend the centre.

“I hope the patients really enjoy their refreshed Therapy Block and that the bright colours and unique artwork provides a welcoming, stimulating environment for their therapy.” 

The Ryegate Therapy Block refurbishment will be officially unveiled on Friday 25 March at 10.30am. The opening honours will be performed by young patient, three-year-old Ollie Saxton (see details below) and Managing Director of Dransfield Properties, Mark Dransfield . Other patients and parents will also attend to try out the new facilities and celebrate the refurbishment.

 Case study – patient who attends Ryegate Therapy Block and will perform official unveiling of new block 

Ollie Saxton – aged three – from Intake, Sheffield.

Three-year-old Ollie Saxton, from Intake in Sheffield, was born with cerebral palsy spastic diplegia and attends Ryegate Therapy Block every week. His mum Rachel Saxton explains why Ryegate is so beneficial for Ollie and why she is looking forward to the new improvements planned for the block.

Rachel said: “Ollie has cerebral palsy spastic diplegia, this effects the tone in his legs and feet which makes crawling, standing and walking very difficult for him. Ollie also has poor balance which means sitting unaided is difficult for him too.

“Ollie attends the Ryegate Therapy Block almost every week. He does physiotherapy to help stretch and strengthen his muscles. He also has occupational therapy there and has had a few hydrotherapy sessions too.
 
“Ollie loves going to Ryegate because he gets to play with lots of fun toys and often he enjoys it so much he doesn't like to go home! The health benefits for Ollie of going to Ryegate are vast. He not only does lots of

great work when he is there but the physiotherapists and occupational therapists teach me how to do exercises and games at home, which help him develop both physically and mentally.
 

“I think Ryegate and its staff are fantastic but the building was definitely due a bit of a make-over. I think it’s brilliant the way Dransfield Properties have got so involved and I’m certain if there are more toys and lots of fun artwork Ollie will absolutely love it.”

Notes to Editors:

The Arts For Health Programme is run by The Children’s Hospital Charity and  aims to improve the environment and amenities of  Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust for all patients their families and visitors through charity donations.

It also enables young patients to get involved in a wide range of art activities whilst they are in hospital from puppet making to guitar lessons.

Dransfield Properties Ltd
For more information about Dransfield Properties visit www.dransfield.co.uk

The Children’s Hospital Charity
The Children’s Hospital Charity supports and enhances the work of Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust and funds four key areas:
• Specialist medical equipment
• Research into the prevention and cure of childhood illness
• New facilities to extend the range of treatment provided
• Improvements to the hospital environment that will benefit patients, families and visitors

For more information about The Children’s Hospital Charity please visit: www.tchcharity.org.uk

Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
•is one of only four dedicated Children's Hospital Trusts in the UK providing integrated, highly specialist health care for children and young people in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and beyond. 

• Key services provided by the Trust include: neurosurgery, oncology, endocrinology, specialist orthopaedics, neonatal surgery, metabolic disease, respiratory diseases, intensive care, cystic fibrosis and neurology, A&E services, acute paediatrics, orthopaedics, child development, community paediatrics and services for children with neuro-disability and Child & Adolescent Mental Health services.

• The Sheffield Children's NHS Trust was established in 1992 and became a Foundation Trust in August 2006. 

For further information please contact: Jennifer Thomas, PR, Marketing and Communications Manager at The Children’s Hospital Charity on 0114 2260706 or email Jennifer.Thomas@sch.nhs.uk
 

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk