Sound Therapy

At the Music Gym we do our best to provide meaningful and fun activities for people with profound disabilities. We’re delighted therefore that Decoda’s been awarded a grant by Awards for All to develop an inflatable “obstacle course” specifically for wheelchair users. It will be for all our members to use but will provide an activity for those in particular who can’t use the bouncy castle.

Some equipment which currently stands alone, such as the bubble machine, will be incorporated into the obstacle course and triggered by sensors.

The idea came from a support worker who has been bringing students from a local school to the Music Gym for over two years. She recognises the value of the large space and has sometimes used it to teach students to operate their wheelchair themselves. She also believes that all young people need the thrill of something unexpected and unknown, regardless of their disability.

The design for the castle is being developed with an inflatables manufacturer. Unfortunately this is their busiest time of year, so it may not be in the Music Gym until October. We’re confident that when it does appear it will be well worth the wait.

It must be the week for awards - we’ve also learned that Decoda is in the final of the Edge Upstart Awards for Social Enterprise, run by the New Statesman. The winners will be announced at the ceremony on June 18th and in the meantime there’s more information at http://www.edgeupstarts.org/2008/awards

If you’d like to know more about bringing someone to the Music Gym, please contact us by phone 01424 444322 or by filling in the contact form.