A WARRINGTON organisation has praised its staff for enabling the site, which offers vital support and learning to adults with additional needs, to stay open through the snow and icy weather.
Walton Lea Partnership, based in Higher Walton, offers young individuals and adults who have learning disabilities an opportunity to learn and work in the picturesque grounds of a walled garden.
The charity has spoken out to thank and praise its ‘heroic’ staff for carrying out safety practices to ensure the site could partially remain open to learners who still required its services during the extreme cold weather last week.
The walled garden in Higher Walton was covered in snow but still managed to stay open (Image: WLP) This comes after Warrington and other areas of the north were struck with heavy snowfall and ice for nearly a week, forcing businesses, schools and other organisations to close due to safety concerns.
However, Jo McClure, care and safeguarding manager for the Walton Lea Partnership stated that a team effort ensured 50 per cent of the site could stay open despite the weather – providing a fun filled week for its learners.
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“The site had a manager on site by 7 – 7.30am every morning to risk assess the site safety, assess what provision could run safely and communicate to Social Services, parents, guardians and care teams,” Jo said.
“Despite shutting down 50 per cent of the site, everyone who required access to the day provision, accessed the site.”
Members of the organisation who still needed to access the site were able to during the snow (Image: WLP) The manager went on to detail how not only did the members get to access the site but a number of fun activities were put on each day for them to enjoy.
“Everyone stepped out of their comfort zones and took part in the afternoon karaoke session. We’ve even found the next headline act for Glastonbury.
“There has been a hive of activity this week such as making fruit salad, practicing life skills, eating lots of cake, making snowmen, shovelling snow, singing, teaching each other to sing and sign in Makaton.
“As well as taking part in floristry, crafts, building Lego snowmen for anyone who didn’t want to be cold and we even went to Warrington Youth Zone too.”
Staff from the partnership were out first thing gritting paths to ensure transport for its members was able to safely access the facility.
The staff conducted regular site checks and gritted paths to ensure the charity could partially open (Image: WLP) And positive feedback given from parents, carers and guardians from the snow week was ‘plentiful’, with many praising the ‘heroic’ efforts of the team.
“Everyone may be sick of the snow now – however staff accepted the challenge, they adapted and they not only achieved but absolutely slam dunked it,” Jo added.