ACE scores with a £75,000 windfall

LIFELINE . . . ACE helps disabled people across the North

A HOLLINWOOD charity that helps people with complex physical and communication disabilities has been given a £75,000 boost.

ACE Centre North, based at Hollinwood Business Centre in Albert Street, has received a slice of the Government’s Transition Fund to ensure it can carry on supporting people to communicate using technology.

The charity works with people of all ages across the North of England, many of whom have no speech or are unable to write.

Services focus on the effective use of assistive technology as a means of promoting greater independence and improved quality of life.

A specialist team of teachers, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists deliver services and keep abreast of the latest developments in technology such as eye gaze, where a computer can be controlled by eye movement alone, or communication apps for the iPad and iPod devices.

The most recognised role model for this type of technology is Professor Stephen Hawking but thousands of children and adults can benefit from this rapidly developing field.

ACE Centre North manager Anna Reeves said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received this grant which will help us to continue to help people with complex physical and communication disabilities.

“We have a long-standing special relationship with Oldham and we are especially delighted to be able to maintain this relationship in the future.

“The grant has come at a great time and we really would have been struggling to cope without it. This financial boost will see us through a difficult time.

“We will use the money to build up our fundraising and marketing as, in the current economic climate, charities have to become more robust and businesslike to survive.”

Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, said: “The Transition Fund is part of a much wider package of support for charities and voluntary groups and social enterprises. The Cabinet Office will invest around £470million in direct support over four years.”

l The charity will host an information day at the Freemasons Hall in Bridge Street, Manchester, on Thursday, for anyone who is interested in finding out about assistive technology.

The event has been organised as part of the Hello campaign for the National Year of Communication, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of having good communication skills.

The event will feature the launch of a series of new short videos made by children and adults using technology to support their written or verbal communication and the full range of equipment will be available for visitors to see and learn more about.