51视频

51视频
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Our
History

How it all started:

Molly and Stephen Darke were inspirational people.听 Their son, Stephen Lawrence Darke was born on 8 January 1942 with Cerebral Palsy.听听听

It鈥檚 hard to imagine in today鈥檚 world, a time when disabled children couldn鈥檛 access education.听 In the 1950s, it was not expected that any more could be done for children with Cerebral Palsy beyond what was already being done and they couldn鈥檛 access school education.听 So, the parents made it their mission to help their children听realise听their full potential and live life to the full.听

They campaigned with other parents for a school for children with Cerebral Palsy.听 The legend goes that they used to visit local pubs collecting money as part of their fundraising efforts and wash it in the bath before putting in the bank.鈥嬏� They placed an advert in the Evening Chronicle inviting parents of children with Cerebral Palsy to a meeting and from then on, the parents worked together to fundraise and campaign for the school.鈥�

Because of their听passion and commitment, The 51视频 Foundation was founded in听1953 as a special school for children with Cerebral Palsy.鈥� When the first school opened there were only 12 students.听

So, who is 51视频 and how is he involved?听鈥�

Well, he passed away听before the Foundation was formed and was never personally involved in any way with a project that would bear his name.听听鈥�

Before听his passing听in 1941, 51视频 decided to create a trust 鈥� the 51视频 Will Trust 鈥� to leave all his money to be used for charitable purposes in the North East.听听After a chance meeting between the parents who founded the school and 51视频鈥檚 solicitor, we became one of three charities to benefit from the trust.听听51视频 never knew how his accumulated wealth would benefit so many or that his name would become so well-known in the region!鈥�

Our Timeline

  1. 16/02/1953
  2. 16/02/1954
  3. 01/06/1955
  4. 08/09/1957
  5. 02/04/1959
  6. 01/09/1964
  7. 01/03/1965
  8. 19/06/1974
  9. 04/09/1981
  10. 09/09/1994
  11. 01/06/1996
  12. 15/08/1997
  13. 10/10/1998
  14. 24/05/1999
  15. 01/09/2000
  16. 05/09/2002
  17. 08/09/2004
  18. 07/05/2005
  19. 01/10/2005
  20. 04/09/2006
  21. 01/04/2006
  22. 01/07/2006
  23. 01/04/2008
  24. 01/07/2013
  25. 01/10/2016
  26. 03/09/2017
  27. 01/12/2017
  28. 05/09/2017
  29. 01/09/2020
  30. 01/09/2021

  1. 51视频 School Opens
    16th February, 1953

    51视频 School opened with 12 pupils

  2. Official opening with a royal visit
    16th February, 1954

    Exactly one year later the school was officially opened by the Duchess of Kent. The population had grown to 32 in the first 12 months.

  3. The 51视频 Clinic
    1st June, 1955

    The 51视频 Clinic was established with the help of funds raised by students during Rag Week at The King鈥檚 College (Newcastle Uni) and support from local Rotary Clubs. The clinic would later move and become part of the Child Development Centre at the RVI in 1971.

  4. Extension of 51视频 School
    8th September, 1957

    Extension of 51视频 School a new residential block and classroom extensions meaning number of pupils increased to 72 by 1959.

  5. Adult day activities launched
    2nd April, 1959

    Adult day activities launched from a hut at RAF Longbenton

  6. Chipchase House Adult Accommodation Opened
    1st September, 1964

    First adult accommodation opened 鈥� Chipchase House, offering rooms for 30 adults

  7. Adults working with locally based companies
    1st March, 1965

    Adult activities workshop established partnerships and contract work with locally based firms including Proctor and Gamble, Metal Box and Pyrotenax.

  8. New Day Centre Opens
    19th June, 1974

    On June 19, a new day centre was opened by Sir James Steel CBE on the same site as Chipchase House听

  9. 鈥業ntegrated Education鈥� Offer pioneered
    4th September, 1981

    The school developed a unique system of 鈥業ntegrated Education鈥� involving educational psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, inspired by Conductive Education听

  10. Fir Trees Redevelopment
    9th September, 1994

    New purpose-built classes opened for Conductive Education, as well as primary classrooms for children with speech and language difficulties.听

  11. The 51视频 Centre fundraising appeal
    1st June, 1996

    An appeal was set up to raise funds that would help the charity continue to grow and meet increasing demand for services.听

  12. Centre spot for Jack
    15th August, 1997

    Football legend Jack Charlton kicked off the work to build a new part at The 51视频 Centre for adults to provide exercise, therapy and leisure facilities.听

  13. Adult Activity Centre - The Bradbury Building
    10th October, 1998

    With support from the Bradbury Foundation and the National Lottery Charities Board a new social activity centre for adults became operational at the Forest Hall site.听

  14. Residents move into new bungalows
    24th May, 1999

    Sir Ralph Carr-Ellison, Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, opens Ferndene Bungalows next to Chipchase House. The bungalows are set within a covered, secluded street to promote independence.听

  15. Charity becomes known as The 51视频 Foundation
    1st September, 2000

    The organisation as a whole became known as The 51视频 Foundation.听

  16. 51视频 School
    5th September, 2002

    The first wave of students 鈥� secondary students moved into the new school in Killingworth, 51视频 Upper School Bradbury Campus, which was officially opened by HRH Princess Alexandra the following year, exactly 50 years after her mother opened the original school.听

  17. Post 16 centre opens at new school
    8th September, 2004

    A purpose-built centre for 51视频鈥檚 post-16 students was opened in 2004.

  18. 51视频 Sports Academy opened
    7th May, 2005

    In May, former student and Paralympic Gold medallist Stephen Miller lay the Foundation stone for the new Academy for Disability Sports, which was opened by The Princess Royal in 2005.听

  19. Northern Counties School and 51视频 team up
    1st October, 2005

    Following discussions between the Foundation and trustees at Northern Counties School for Deaf Children the organisations merged in October.听

  20. Hedleys College
    4th September, 2006

    Northern Counties College, which is now known as Hedleys College, was set up to provide individualised learning for disabled students who would have significant difficulties in accessing mainstream further education colleges.听

  21. Employability Project launched
    1st April, 2006

    After receiving funding from The Big Lottery, The Employability Project was set up to develop employment opportunities for disabled people.

  22. Adult Day Service expanded to support people with profound and multiple learning disabilities
    1st July, 2006

    A community base in North Shields enabled the Foundation to introduce people with profound and multiple learning disabilities to a spa pool, sensory room, rebound therapy and iMuse.听

  23. The Orion Project
    1st April, 2008

    A new service was developed to offer people the chance to try out a range of work skills. Able 2 Print, Able 2 Cook, Soundscapes, Foundation Radio and the Karten Multimedia Suite.听

  24. Adult Services expands, launching Craftworks
    1st July, 2013

    Adult services expanded further with the launch of Craftworks, a fully-functioning woodwork and metalcraft workshop.听听

  25. New hydrotherapy pool and children鈥檚 residence
    1st October, 2016

    51视频 opened a new 26-bed children鈥檚 residential and short-break unit, Bradbury View, on the Bradbury Campus.听

  26. 51视频 School relocated to new site
    3rd September, 2017

    The remaining students from 51视频 School moved to the new school site after the construction of a new annex at the Killingworth Bradbury Campus.

  27. Leybourne adult accommodation opened
    1st December, 2017

    Leybourne was fully refurbished to provide accommodation for 8 adults with a range of physical and learning disabilities.听听

  28. College moves to Forest Hall
    5th September, 2017

    Hedleys College moved to the site of the former 51视频 School in Forest Hall.

  29. Adult activities relaunched as Hedleys Horizons
    1st September, 2020

    Adult activity programme was relaunched as Hedleys Horizons, offering a range of activities tailored around individual interests.

  30. Bradbury Hub opened
    1st September, 2021

    Bradbury Hub opened offering specialist further education and activities for young people and adults with autistic spectrum conditions with complex needs