The Ron Short Centre’s outdoor area, including its rear entrance and garden, has been completely refurbished and made more accessible for people with disabilities, thanks to a collaborative effort between Swedish-based firm EKA and Norman Piette.
EKA provided the refurbishment work free of charge whilst Norman Piette donated a wooden garden house, which will assist with some of the classes, such as cooking.
Tim Feak is the Development Manager for the Ron Short Centre, which provide services and support to people with disabilities.
“The rear of the centre, which has this lovely garden which looks out over St Peter Port, is a great facility for us that, sadly, until recently, it wasn’t really accessible,” he said.
“It was soft grass, occasionally muddy, and the access to the side office, again, didn’t have a suitable step. It was kind of unsafe for some of our members. So Armands and his amazing people have created this amazing concrete ramp.
“It now means that people can get in and out of the garden without having to ask someone else for help, without having to sit inside whilst everyone else is having fun. So that’s what this is about.
“It’s making this lovely garden accessible.”
The ramp, and improved accessibility weren’t the only upgrades on offer for the Centre, explained Mr Feak.
He said the team from EKA went even further in the Centre’s spruce up.
“At the same time, they’ve done a massive face lift to the to the garden, repainted the outside of the building, created planters. There’s a lovely bird table that they’ve painted up here in our in our blue color to match the building, and also they put together the garden shed, which Norman Piette donated to us.”
Armands Starpenieks, the Managing Director of EKA, said his decision to help the Centre came after the death of his mother three years ago, and a tour of the facility he was given by Board Member for the Ron Short Centre Mark Winn.
“I’m 42 years, old, and sadly, three years ago, my mother passed away in my arms with epilepsy. I have a good local friend called Mark Winn, one day he told me, ‘I want to take you around because you don’t seem too happy’.”
Mr Starpenieks continued: “When we went here, I directly, immediately felt my mom from the Sky who said, ‘right, we do it!’ and not always is it about the money. At the end of the day, we are living once, and my pray for other people around, is more to think of people instead of finances. Obviously we do need to have finances arriving, but end of the day to see these people’s happiness in their faces, nothing can compare it.”
Dalen Vile, Marketing Manager at Norman Piette said they had also wanted to get involved and by donating a shed to the Garden they were pleased to help.
“The Ron Short Centre are a great, great charity that are offering great opportunities to a variety of people. So it’s a perfect opportunity for us to use the products that we have and give back.”
Mr Feak said the Ron Short Centre has a huge impact on people’s lives, and not just those who make use of the facilities.
He said they’re very grateful for all support received from businesses and the wider community.
“The knock on effects of their disability have isolated them from the rest of the community, so the ability to get here and meet other like minded people is really powerful, and it’s also incredible for their carers.
“You know many carers of people with disabilities have quite a hard life. You know, getting up before them in the mornings, getting dressed maybe, you know, it offers them some respite, and that’s an incredibly powerful thing. Nobody can be responsible for another human being, you know, 24/7 without ever getting a break, so that’s a really important part of this!”
