In excess of £17,000 was donated by the three trusts to purchase a 22 square metre log cabin to be placed in the garden of the activity centre. Additional works carried out include a ramp and reinforced floor for wheelchair users. 

Chelsey Mills, one of the managers at The Beehive Centre, commented: “We want to say a huge thank you to everyone at each of the trusts, as without them this simply would not have been possible. It’s really important for us to be able to provide a range of activities for everyone to participate in as we all have different wants and needs from life and one size doesn’t fit all. We’re really looking forward to unveiling the new cabin to everyone we support and get started with some creative activities to improve wellbeing after such a long period of isolation.”

The cabin will allow adults supported by The Beehive to take part in a range of creative activities, build confidence and self-esteem, and reduce feelings of isolation. It will also be available for use at weekends by children staying at the charity’s respite home, Lily’s Place.  

Talbot Village Trust is a grant giving charity supporting causes in Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole, East Dorset, and Purbeck. It is one of the area’s leading benefactors and has donated more than £2million to charitable causes and community projects over the past couple of years.

Russell Lucas-Rowe, trustee at Talbot Village Trust, added: “We’re thrilled to continue supporting the team at Diverse Abilities in their mission to provide extraordinary lives for extraordinary people. We hope the cabin and all the activities it will deliver, will bring joy to all that the charity support for many years to come.”

The Beatrice Laing Trust supports organisations providing practical services to people with physical, mental, and learning difficulties. The Claire Milne Trust supports people with disabilities by making grants to charities working directly with people with disabilities in the south west. The trust focuses its grants on small, effective charities.

This new cabin also means The Beehive has more room on site to safely increase its provision of emergency respite care during the COVID-19 pandemic, which already makes use of two additional satellite sites in order to maintain social distancing.

Visit diverseabilities.org.uk/the-beehive-centre for more details about the day activity and therapy centre.