Fife autism charity secures National Lottery funding for sensory garden

Buckhaven charity, Autism Rocks (Fife), has netted £6400 funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to enable the service to upgrade and improve its sensory garden at its Kaleidoscope Centre in the town.
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Autism Rocks is a not for profit charitable organisation that provides help, support, and advice to over 2150 families from all over Fife and beyond.

The vital service provides drop in sessions, youth groups, teen and adult groups, and family days from its Kaleidoscope Centre in Buckhaven, as well as in its amazing Aurora Sensory Garden.

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Liza Quin, founder and chairman, said: “We recently received £6400 funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to enable us to upgrade and improve our sensory garden by making the garden a safer, brighter space for our families.

Autism Rocks secretary, James Ellinsworth with founder and chairman, Liza Quin. Pic: Monarch Photography.Autism Rocks secretary, James Ellinsworth with founder and chairman, Liza Quin. Pic: Monarch Photography.
Autism Rocks secretary, James Ellinsworth with founder and chairman, Liza Quin. Pic: Monarch Photography.

"As well as being able to provide some amazing new sensory equipment, which includes a music station, gutter play station, a buddy bench, a yurt, and some amazing building blocks.

Kaleidoscope Centre in Buckhaven. Pic: Monarch Photography.Kaleidoscope Centre in Buckhaven. Pic: Monarch Photography.
Kaleidoscope Centre in Buckhaven. Pic: Monarch Photography.

“We sadly have been closed since March of last year due to the pandemic, but we were able to open our doors again on June 26 for our family days, albeit with a limited number of families.

"We primarily support families from Fife, but we never turn anyone away from other parts of the country if they need our help.”

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Liza goes on to say that the families who attend the centre have thoroughly enjoyed the new look garden.

"Everyone who attended absolutely loved the new look sensory garden with all the new equipment and have really enjoyed being back,” she said.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to all who play the National Lottery as without them, we couldn't have achieved what we have.

“We are now currently trying to raise funds to install an interactive flooring system at Kaleidoscope, this would be an amazing addition to what we already provide within the centre.

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“We are extremely humbled by the support we have received during the pandemic – it really does show some fantastic community spirit.”

For more information on Autism Rocks, or if you would like to attend any sessions that is offered, please visit: www.autismrocksfife.org

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