Welsh children’s charity Cerebral Palsy Cymru welcomed its Royal Patron HRH The Duchess of Gloucester to officially open its new children’s centre.

Thanks to support from Welsh Government, The Moondance Foundation and other corporate and philanthropic donors the charity has been able to purchase and transform the facility in Llanishen, Cardiff, into a national centre of excellence that provides world leading treatment of cerebral palsy to hundreds of families and children across Wales every year.

The children’s centre first opened its doors in May 2021 in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic. Since then more than 800 families from across Wales have walked through the doors to receive specialist therapy for their children.

Now that the renovation work is officially complete, the charity was thrilled to receive a visit from The Duchess of Gloucester, who has been the patron of the charity since 1996.

Alongside meeting a number of supporters who contributed to the charity's Build a Better Future capital appeal, which helped fund the second phase of development, the Duchess met families who have received life-changing therapy and support from the charity.

Arlo is one of the babies currently accessing Cerebral Palsy Cymru’s specialist early intervention service Better Start, Better Future.

His mum Laura said:

“Our son Arlo was born extremely prematurely and has experienced many bumps along the way.  We self-referred Arlo to Cerebral Palsy Cymru after several consultants at the Neonatal Unit advised us to as Arlo was at high risk of cerebral palsy.

“Since our very first therapy session at Cerebral Palsy Cymru we have seen a huge improvement in Arlo's development.

“We will forever be grateful for the care and support that Cerebral Palsy Cymru have given to our family.  Arlo is our little inspiration, and we are all so extremely proud of him.”

It is estimated that in Wales every five days a baby will be born who will have cerebral palsy, and this specialist early intervention service is the only one of its kind in Wales. Last year the charity received 86 new referrals to Better Start, Better Future and this number is predicted to increase.

Jenny Carroll, Centre Director and Consultant Physiotherapist, said:

“Research shows that early intervention is vital for a child's development and this is particularly pertinent for a child identified as at high risk of cerebral palsy, where early intervention can influence their long-term progress and the skills they ultimately acquire to help them throughout their lives. I am delighted that our children’s centre is now officially open. It is a world-class facility from which we can provide our specialist services, with the space to enable us to see many more children and families. Our next big challenge is to secure the additional investment we need to fund increasing demand for our vital services.”

Also in attendance was Julie Morgan MS, who has been a supporter of the charity for several years, and Baroness Morgan of Ely, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, who said:

“It was a privilege to attend today’s event and see first-hand how this building has been transformed into a specialist children’s centre that makes a hugely positive impact on the lives of so many families across Wales.

“It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet some of the families who have benefited from this charity’s services, as well as the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that families living with cerebral palsy across Wales can access the specialist therapy and support that they need. I also want to pass on my thanks to all the people who have contributed generously to support the charity.”