Ross-on-Wye Day Centre Awarded £95,000 in National Lottery Funding

The Ross-on-Wye Horizon Centre, the local day centre for adults with learning disabilities, is celebrating after being awarded £95,000 in National Lottery funding. The Horizon Centre, based at Wolf Business Park, will use the money to keep the centre open and support more people in the local community, including online.

Founding Director, Maria Barnett said: “This award is a huge boost for us. Like many organisations, we have had a down-turn in our finances over the last year due to covid-19,so this money will help save the service for the local community.”

The Ross on Wye Horizon Centre CIC is a social enterprise that was formed in 2017 to meet an urgent need for a day centre for adults with learning and other disabilities when the Ryefield Centre was closed by Herefordshire Council.

The Horizon Centre temporarily closed its doors last spring tocomply with covid–19 restrictions but has been open since August for a limited number of people.  

“We have worked very hard to stay open for people who need to attend the Centre” explained founding Director Clarissa Hill. “Providing activities in a covid-secure environment has been a challenge but we have to do everything possible to support our service users.”

The funding, from The National Lottery Community Fund and provided over two years, will enable the Horizon Centre to expand their activities for more people, including offering activities and support online by providing people with electronic tablets and internet connections.

Clarissa explained: “We will be providing some of our services ‘live’ but there will be a library of activities people can check out anytime they want from their own homes. Many people have been unable to come to the Centre, so this is a great opportunity for them to access our services.”

The National Lottery Community distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK. “We are grateful to the National Lottery players who have made this award possible” added Maria Barnett.

If you would like to know more about the Horizon Centre or are interested in their online services, please call 01989 253131 or email maria@horizoncentre.co.uk or clarissa@horizoncentre.co.uk. You can also contact them on Facebook The Ross-on-Wye Horizon Centre