Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity (DVLCC) has officially moved to their new home in Chailey. Friday 6 September saw the official opening of the centre, with all the families invited for a sneak preview. The first sessions at the charity’s new premises began on Monday 9 September. 

The charity supports children under 5 years old from Surrey, Sussex, Kent and South London, affected by cerebral palsy, chromosome abnormalities and rare genetic disorders that cause physical impairment. The largest early intervention organisation of this type in the Southeast, and the only one open all year, the charity provides free, highly skilled, early intensive intervention services, helping children achieve as much independence as possible. With three brand new service rooms, DVLCC can support more families than ever before.  

Based on the site of Chailey Heritage Foundation – but remaining an independent charity – in the Rennie Building, DVLCC’s services include physiotherapy, conductive education, speech and language, hydrotherapy, music therapy and family outreach home play sessions. The charity receives no statutory funding for their services and relies on donations from individuals and businesses to support their life-changing work. 

CEO Glenys Creese says:

Having outgrown our home in Cuckfield, the search for a new home has been a difficult one. We are thrilled to now be operational again in Chailey. The new centre gives us much more space and means we will be able to help more families, providing life changing services free of charge to young children who need them. My thanks to the team who worked incredibly hard to make the move possible, along with support from some great corporates.

With a bigger centre comes a need for further support. The team at DVLCC are seeking volunteers and donors to assist them with their project to help even more families affected by cerebral palsy and motor learning impairments. If you would like to get involved, visit the charity’s website: dvlcc.org.uk or email [email protected] today.