Chill-out zone will give families a place to relax

Housing specialist Keepmoat has converted a former garage at the Quarriers Foxden centre into a new chill-out area.

The Quarriers Foxden Service supports disabled children, aged between seven and 18, and provides respite care and short break services to families and carers.

Now kitted out with sofas and games for families to enjoy, the newly-converted garage adds to the existing four bedrooms, public rooms and safe spaces, which are already a hit with visitors.

Richard Bass, regional managing director for Keepmoat, said: “The service is invaluable in offering much-needed short breaks, while supporting the children and stimulating learning.

“When we found out the garage was disused, we saw a great opportunity to help the charity build on those services by creating more space.”

Quarriers Foxden Service works closely with the children’s disabilities team of South Tyneside Council and has been running since 2011.

Kerry Duerden, a registered children’s manager for Quarriers, has described how she hopes the new chill-out space, which Keepmoat has helped to create, will attract more children and their families in the area, to utilise the services.

She said: “It was a fantastic opening day and everyone from Quarriers Foxden Service is delighted with the new space.

“It has been a pipe dream for the past five years to convert the garage into a meaningful space where children and young people can chill out and have fun, and to see it a reality is very exciting.”

Kerry thanked Keepmoat on behalf of the centre.