Support Children With Cerebral Palsy and Vote For The Garwood Foundation This May 2019
A muscular disorder related to brain damage in young children was described for the first time in 1860. Then, it was called ‘Little’s Syndrome’, which later became ‘Spastic’ and that we know now as Cerebral Palsy.
- In 1946, Coombe House was given to Miss Garwood for a very low rent to educate children with Cerebral Palsy.
- The Garwood Foundation was founded in 1952, initially as Spastic Society, to care for children with cerebral palsy and educate them in a hut that was owned by a parent. A building in Bramley Hill was rented for that purpose later that year. At the time, this was the first provision for children that combined treatment and nursery and it quickly led to a waiting list.
- Later, a workroom in the upstairs building at Bramley Hill was added to cater for adults, which only opened for three days per week. Also at the Bramley Hill Centre, the first special day nursery and clinic for children with Cerebral Palsy in the country was set up
- Due to the remarkable progress that was made, expansion was urgently needed. In 1961, a large house in ‘Rutherford’ was purchased, which is now Rutherford School.
- In 1963, work started on an adapted centre at Bramley Hill, a work centre for 40 adults with Cerebral Palsy, which opened in 1965.
- 1967 saw the need of more expansion and by then, the two centres catered for 80 local people. It also saw the plan of a small family-type Hostel.
- In 1976, Jean Garwood House conversions were started, which is now our residential home and caters for 13 adults with a variety of disabilities from Croydon and neighbouring boroughs.
What Are The Garwood Foundation Doing Now?
Over the years, the Foundation changed and developed with the times. There are big plans in the pipeline for the Garwood Foundation, such as opening up the service to young people aged 19-25 with an Adult Education Centre to bridge the gap between education and adult care, and also a new, state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool.
They now offer a wide variety of therapies such as Vision Impairment Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Hydrotherapy, Rebound Therapy, Drama Therapy and Music Therapy. There is also the school education, adult education, diverse outings and also events inside the centres. They had Birds of Prey in the past, a country band and many more.
The school also offers a Saturday Club, an activity club for disabled children and young people from Croydon and surroundings and a Summer Club, a holiday activity for our disabled pupils.
How Can You Help?
It is easy to see the wonderful work that The Garwood Foundation are doing. If you want to give them a helping hand in the continuation of this wonderful work then be sure to give them a vote this May 2019...
For more information on The Garwood Foundation please visit https://garwoodfoundation.org.uk/.