A centre in Braintree devoted to children and young people with disabilities has officially opened after months of hard work.

Bowled over - cricketers Ronnie Irani, Paul Grayson and Andy Flowers open the new disabled centre in Braintree with Iain Dearden. Picture: STEVE ARGENT (38116-3)

Volunteers, supporters and committee members of the Play and Resource Centre (Parc) converged at its Great Notley Country Park site to celebrate its opening.

PARC was originally set up in 1987 by a group of parents desperate for out-of school play facilities in a safe and secure environment providing valuable respite time.

The new temporary £50,000 facility was funded by donations and fundraising after lottery applications to fund a permanent building were refused three times.

Business development manager of Parc, Georgina Rhyme, who has an autistic seven-year-old son, said: "It was the summer play scheme and the help we gave to the families coming here that made such a difference and that means more than anything."

Published Wednesday, September 8, 2004

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