Totem pole sensory art link-up set to be unveiled in Wantage

Attendees of the Charlton Centre worked with students from King Alfred's Academy to produce three totem pole sensory art sculptures, which reflect light and colour.

The artwork will be displayed at the Charlton Village Road centre, where daytime support is provided for people with learning disabilities, for the first time on Friday 21 November at 11.00am along with a new personal care suite which has recently been fitted there.

Sensory garden

The sculptures will be placed in the sensory garden at the centre, which is presently used by 32 people and is run by Oxfordshire County Council.

The garden, which will be used from next year, is specially designed to support service users, many of whom have difficulty in communicating.

Benefit

Centre manager Will Gardner said: "The Wantage Daytime Support Service supports many people who have complex communication needs, and we’re delighted to be opening our new sensory garden in 2015, complete with the new sculptures, as they will benefit greatly from it."

"We’re hoping to continue developing the project with students from King Alfred’s Academy.”

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: "It is excellent to see local school pupils working together with users of the Charlton Centre to produce such fabulous and eye-catching artwork. The sculptures are an excellent addition to the facilities at the centre."

The new suite caters for a wide range of needs and can accommodate larger self-propelled wheelchairs.