Creating a sensory room was Community Action Network’s latest project and Brewers Bournemouth helped out by donating all the paint required!

Community Action Network supports organisations across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. From finding volunteers, to helping with setting up new charities and connecting organisations together through their partnership working their work makes a huge difference to the community.

The sensory room is for people with additional needs, who may need to feel more comfortable in a clinical environment. Liz Soffe, who headed up the project explains more:

“I am working on a project with the CCG and Dorset Healthcare to work with communities and groups where the vaccine uptake has been low. Part of this work involves overcoming barriers people may have to take the vaccine.

We identified that the clinical environment at the site may make some people with additional and sensory needs uneasy about attending so wanted to make it a more welcoming and calmer environment. I was given the task on Sunday 5th to decorate a room and have it ready for Monday 13th December, with no budget!

By Monday we had got a pot of money together to decorate the room, and 3 willing volunteers to help me. On Friday we painted the whole room and on Sunday morning I went into add the finishing touches which included LED lights, a machine that plays bird/whale/wave and white noise, a fish bubble light, an aromatherapy diffuser, a bean bag and sensory toys.

All are wipeable for infection control. We were lucky enough to work with Dorset Healthcare who recognised the value of having a sensory room at the vaccination side and allowing us to transform it.

The colleague who helped me in Brewers Bournemouth was so helpful as she chose the perfect colours to create such a warm and welcoming space”

The final result looks fantastic, and Brewers are really happy to see the difference it has made to the community already with many children and adults using the warm and welcoming space.

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