March 9 2022

A charity dedicated to supporting severely disabled children has broken ground on a purpose-built centre to facilitate its work in Inverness.

The Elsie Normington Foundation has earmarked £4.1m to the delivery of the Haven Centre which will include an indoor play centre which will be made available to local children, as well as offices and meeting spaces.

Designed by Colin Armstrong Architects the centre will occupy a brownfield on Murray Road in the Smithton area of the city that was last occupied by a nursing home, destroyed by fire in 2010. Proposals call for the provision of three respite apartments for parents and carers to stay while their child is being cared for as well as supported accommodation for young adults learning to live independently.

A separate volunteer-run cafe will help to bed the centre into the local community, with profits reinvested in the operation of the centre. 

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