FOR everyone connected with the Children’s Opportunity Centre in Coleford, it was a night to remember – in all senses of the word – but also a time to look forward.

The Sparkling Opportunity event, held at the Forest Hills Golf Club in Coleford, was a double celebration, marking 36 years of transforming the lives of families and young children with special needs and acknowledging the massive contribution of retiring manager Marilyn Smith.

But the event, which brought together staff, parents and supporters of the centre, also marked new beginnings with the recent arrival of new manager Sonia Molyneux and plans to develop the centre.

The evening raised some £5,000 which will maintain current services and kick-start new projects at the centre The charity, which relies on grants and donations to fund its life-changing work, is also looking for a new sponsor for its minibus.

The centre had its roots in the vision of local health visitor Ann Smallwood who saw the need for a pre-school service that could offer advice and support to families with a child with a special need or disability between birth and five-years-of-age.

Ann was also ahead of her time with her recognition that children with special needs should play and learn alongside those who did not have additional needs.

The centre began life in the former Broadwell School in 1982 and, as it outgrew that site, moved to St John’s Primary School in Coleford, adding a purpose-built facility in 1990.

Today the Forest of Dean Children’s Opportunity Centre is the only fully-inclusive pre-school provision in Gloucestershire. About half of the youngsters attending have a disability or special need and half do not.

Among the early volunteers was Marilyn Smith, who since then has fulfilled a number of roles and has been something of a powerhouse in ensuring the centre has developed.

She said: “We’ve grown from five children. We didn’t run the pre-school and we didn’t run the integrated sessions.

“When I first started we ran family support but when the children’s centre took over, we took a big leap of faith to run the whole thing because we couldn’t let families in the Forest of Dean down.

“It’s turned out really well and I’m so glad we took that leap of faith.”

Marilyn thanked the families for being so welcoming and thanked the team around her.

She said: “I feel very, very lucky to have been doing a job I truly love.

“It’s a time when families are going through so many emotions and I thank them for allowing us into their homes at a time when it is difficult.

“I’ve had a team around me for 35 years and it is really down to the team.”

She said everyone should be proud of the centre “which is the only provision that has 100 per cent, fully inclusive pre-school sessions.

“We should be so proud – a few years back we had a paediatrician from Gloucester who was a trustee and I remember her saying: “If only we had something like this in Gloucester.’”

She also thanked the trustees and, in particular chair Terry Smith.

“Behind the scenes is a group of people who have been there to support me through good times and some difficult times over the years.

“Terry is always there to listen and the trustees give their time – it’s great that we have trustees and family reps every year because it brings in new blood and we also have long-standing trustees.

“I am so grateful for that support.”

She said the centre would go from “strength to strength” with Sonia as manager.

Although Marilyn emphasised the contribution of the team to the success of the Opportunity Centre, colleague Hayley Badman said “this special lady” had done an enormous amount for the centre.

She said: “I was one of the joint managers alongside Marilyn and she has supported me through my journey at the centre 

“Marilyn decided to volunteer for the Opportunity Centre and along the way there have been some massive triumphs that she must take credit for. 

“She worked her way up through family work, family service manager and overall manager and she has taken some risks with the centre – but it wouldn’t be what it is today without her. 

“It is down to her as an individual. When I first came to the centre, seeing her work with children inspired me to work with children and inspired so many others. 

“Her patience, care and attention to detail on behalf of the children is just wonderful. 

When you work with families who have a child with special needs you don’t want to say the wrong thing but Marilyn always says the right thing.

“I’m saying thanks on behalf of families, whether they’ve used the centre for a week or the full seven years. 

“She is one to have a laugh with. We have had so many giggles in that office and so many fun times.

“Her journey is coming to an end at the centre, I know she’s dreading it but she has a wonderful family and she is going spend time with them and her friends. 

“Her legacy won’t leave the centre because parents, children and supporters will always remember her.

“She is the most wonderful woman in the room.

“She is truly outstanding.”

The guest speaker for the evening was Andy Lewis who won triathlon gold at the Rio Paralympics in 2016.

He said a recent visit to the centre had touched him and he announced that he would become a patron for the charity.

“Being invited to the centre and meeting the people makes me feel quite emotional about being involved.”

The children were fascinated by his medals with the Paralympic gold having silver balls inside to allow people with no or restricted sight to identify it.

He said: “I could see they wanted to do things so I was hanging it around their necks and showing the noise it makes.”

Andy lost a leg at the age of 16 when he was run over by a 38-tonne truck in Lydney shortly after being selected for the elite Parachute Regiment.

He said he had been driven to aim for the best after a teacher told him he was “as thick as a brick”.

It was only when he got a job as an aircraft engineer at Airbus in Bristol that long-standing issues including dyslexia were identified.

He said: “I had struggled at school and it resonated with me that when I had the people and support network around me to help me understand and explain that I learnt differently to other people, I could achieve massive things.

“I am going to be a patron for this charity and I don’t take it lightly – if you need me, I’m here.”

Andy has plans to set up a mentoring service to help children, both with and without disabilities, to get involved in sport “but also to understand that we are all different, we are all unique.”

He also spoke about the ‘It’s fun to try’ sessions he has developed which introduce children to the skills of the triathlon and he said children from the centre could take part.

The evening finished with a fund-raising auction and music from local group The Dark Tones.

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‘We’d be lost without the centre’

JACK Hazell was diagnosed with a rare, genetic degenerative condition at the age of 17 months but two years at the Children’s Opportunity Centre has transformed life for him and parents, doctors Millie and Mark.

Speaking about their experience, Millie described the Opportunity Centre as “a magical place”.

She said: “Jack was first diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at the age of 17 months.  

“Both of us as doctors had never heard of this condition but the more we found out the more our hearts sank.

“SMA is a rare, genetic, severe degenerative neurological condition where all the muscles gradually degenerate. 

“One of the many complications is that Jack will never walk and something like the common cold can be fatal. 

“There is no cure but the main management for Jack is intensive physio and experimental medication.”

The family found out about the centre through a friend who suggested it might be great for Jack and he started soon afterwards, although they live in Gloucester.

Dr Millie Hazell said: “This was a great way for him to spend a couple of hours with Dad while I was in work and to start to mix with the other children. 

“Family and friends ask me why I drive almost 45 minutes to take Jack to nursery during the week but it was a small price to pay for the rewards we were receiving.

“As the mother of a disabled child – and with him being our first child – everything seemed a little bit hopeless and every small thing seemed like a really big task. 

“We worried about how Jack would integrate with other children as his disabilities were physical, would he accepted and would anyone else be able to look after him.?

“Having been to the centre for just a couple of weeks I was more confident leaving Jack there than with his own dad. 

In September last year, Jack moved into the main playroom and soon got into a regular routine.

They have recently started hydrotherapy, which is one of the most useful forms of physiotherapy for children with SMA.

“He is getting help with his speech and learning to be a normal little boy – he’s also acquired a personal trainer and he’s re-learnt skills he had lost the ability to do.”

The family struggled with Jack’s sleep routine as they were “always on edge and would respond to every little cry, effectively making a rod for our own backs.”

Friends said there was no option but to let him cry it out which they found “impossible to do without our hearts breaking.”

Staff at the centre told them there was no need to leave a child cry and gave help and guidance.

“Jack now has a great bedtime routine and is only up once or twice a night as opposed to the six or seven as before – we no longer sweat at the prospect of doing a night shift. 

“Jack has thrived since he started attending the centre.

“It’s somewhere where the staff are like a little family and they give each child the individual attention they need as well as teaching them to integrate 

“Jack is always coming home telling us stories about the day, some true, some made up but there is always something new he has learnt. 

“Developing his speech using characters that are Jack’s personal favourites and using music and activities that can all be tailored to his needs makes him realise he is just the same as everybody else. 

“He is able to play with well children as well as children with disabilities which I think is vital for the development of any child.”

Schooling was a big worry but thanks to the efforts of staff at the centre, Jack is able to go to mainstream school.

“We had no idea of everything that would be involved but they have guided us through it step by step and have treated Jack as if he were their own child. 

“It is difficult to put into words everything the centre does on a daily basis. 

“This centre it’s not just a nursery, it’s not a playgroup, it’s a home away from home and it’s changed our lives as a family. 

“It’s given us hope, opportunity and helped Jack become the intelligent, independent, inquisitive cheeky little chappie he is today 

“He no longer hisses at other children and he’s confident enough to wander away from the comforts of mum and dad. 

“His resilience, his independence and sheer determination is really commendable.

“Our hearts burst with pride as we see him pootle down the street in his latest set of wheels 

“We would be lost without the centre, as I think most parents would agree, and will be eternally gratefully for all the hard work they do on a daily basis 

“Mark and I would like to this opportunity to thank everybody for everything they have done and continue to do for our son. It truly is a magical place.”

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Centre’s thanks

THE Children’s Opportunity Centre relies on grants and donations for its work and is grateful to the following for donations to the auction and for being sponsors.

Andy Lewis, Nikki’s Events, Terry Lloyd, The Dark Tones, Adam Scott, Ameci Italian Restaurant, Ancre Hill Vineyard, Bells Hotel, Calico, Cameron’s Butchers, Chepstow Races, Chris Skillern Photography, Coinros Nursery, Co-op Coleford, Crusty Loaf, Drop The Mop, Eco Blue, Enhance Beauty, N W Meats, Eskimarket, Fatica’s Garage, Forest Deli, Gibsons, Helmet Hers, K W Bell Ltd, MegaBounce, Mel’s Top Cutz, Mr and Mrs Thulbon, Mr and Mrs Woodward, Max Morgan, Terry Williams, MSL Pest Control, North Court Farm Designs, Scrufts to Crufts, Spa Rituals, Tesco Express, Coleford, Tesco, Lydney, The Beauty Boutique, The Chase Hotel, Ross on Wye, The Cutting Room, The Pantry St Briavels, The Woodman, Parkend, Tudor Farmhouse, Waitrose, Monmouth, The Bell Hanger, Chepstow, Tyler Jane O’Brian Photography, Worcester Racecourse.