FEATURE
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURE : TOM BANKS
Play area dream given push by VAS Group
Child ’ s play – VAS Group finance director Lisa Southall and JPC Community Farm founder Julie Connaughton at the new play area site .
Property valuation specialists get behind JPC Community Farm project
It was child ’ s play for VAS Group staff when it came to choosing a local project they wanted to support . For having seen the JPC Community Farm for themselves , its plans for a £ 70,000 play area proved the perfect scheme to get behind .
The farm , near Stokesley , is the brainchild of Paul and Julie Connaughton and is inspired by their son James , 21 , who has the rare genetic disorder Pura Syndrome – described by specialists as a “ chromosome 6 spelling mistake ”.
Two years ago , James was 41st out of only 300 people worldwide to get a Pura diagnosis , although thousands more have been diagnosed since .
But James ’ complex needs , and the desire to help him and other young people like him , have always been Paul and Julie ’ s driving force .
The renovated farm provides independent supported living , respite , leisure and educational facilities for clients with special needs and their families .
Over recent years , the couple have worked tirelessly to make their dream become a £ 2.4m reality , with 10 superbly equipped apartments , plus day care facilities , now up and running .
But one thing the complex is missing is a specially adapted play area – and that ’ s where property valuation specialist VAS Group comes in .
Through regular donations and events , VAS ’ s 28 staff have pledged to make the play area fund their chosen charity . And that , says VAS Group finance director Lisa Southall , is typical of the close-knit VAS team .
She said : “ The team we have in the office are such a good crowd . They ’ re young , full of life and generally caring , and that ’ s where VAS and JPC came together .
“ We wanted to give back something to the community , give the team a sense of something to work together on and do a bit of team building , so what better way to support a brilliant local cause ?”
Based in a 3,000 sq ft office in Stephenson House , Middlesbrough , VAS Group is the UK ’ s leading panel management , auditing and project monitoring property valuations business . And its staff needed no convincing of the value of supporting the farm ’ s play area dream .
In September , a post-lockdown event , organised by the VAS social committee , saw staff and their families enjoy a fun day at the farm .
It meant they could see for themselves the impressive facilities , which include 10 apartments for adults to live with supported living and eight for short breaks .
The full team then attended a JPCorganised Peaky Blinders Ball at Hardwick Hall in October to support the charity and enjoy the night . The complex , which aims to be CQCregistered and has just recruited registered manager Carol Devine for its Care and Support arm , also offers day care facilities for up to 24 people , including a sensory room , a barber ’ s shop , a nail bar and a make-up room . In addition , there ’ s the Orangery café-bistro , which is open seven days a week to the public .
The £ 30,000 needed for a musical therapy garden was raised before lockdown . But most of the £ 70,000 for the play area still needs raising – and VAS Group staff have now made it their mission .
It will feature appropriate play and gym equipment , as well as an artificial grass surface so it can be used for things like tennis and wheelchair basketball .
If all goes to plan , the ground will go down early next year , with the equipment to follow .
And for Julie , who ’ s known Lisa since 2003 when they worked at Stockton Land Rover together , the VAS Group support is hugely welcome .
She said : “ I ’ ve always supported other charities , so for us to find a company like VAS that sees us for what we are , and with staff who are interested in what we do , is so exciting for us .
“ I understand that money is scarce but we ’ re a newer charity , so this relationship is wonderful .”
For more about VAS Group , visit vas-group . co . uk And for more about JPC Community Farm and JPC Care and Support , visit jpccommunityfarm . co . uk or visit the Facebook page .
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