​Wow, what a productive first week of our big refurb! The week started with all hands on clearing out the gym. A huge thank you to the staff from the Vernon Building Society and their families, Jeanette and her daughter, our trustees and staff from Jump Space who have done a fantastic job. The gym looks so different!
We have also begun work on painting some of the areas: the orange boot room has been given several coats of paint ready for its new look, the stairs have been refreshed and we have started sanding the portacabin ready for a makeover too.
The ramp at the front door has been removed to make way for a new one to be fitted. The swing has  been taken away to be made bigger, so that 2 people will be able to use it at the same time in the new look gym.

PD: Photo shows the gym without the trampolines, swing and mats removed. The green boards are also missing, but the posts that held them are still there and stick up from the blue floor.

PD: Photo

Things are getting exciting here at Hardman Street! Over the summer we are completing the works on the main gym area. We are splitting the gym to create an improved 1:1 space which will house a trampoline and new sensory area. Many of you will be excited to learn that this means that the current 1:1 space will be returning to its previous use as a ball pool! We are also updating our trampolines and getting new flooring, some new sensory equipment for the main sensory room and new play equipment. Finally, we are extending the 'gym toilet' to make it easier to access.
The work on the main gym starts on the 22nd July 2024 with our last sessions on Saturday 20th July 2024.
We will be posting updates about the work regularly on our social media pages as well as here.
If you are handy with a paint brush and have some time to volunteer over the summer, please do get in touch as there'll be plenty of painting to do! We will also be tiling, tidying, cleaning and hoovering ready for September so please feel free to get in touch if you can help.
Lastly, Jump Space seeks to be as environmentally responsible as possible. We have a number of pieces of equipment, especially matting, that we will no longer be using and would rather it be reused where possible. Some of the matting has already found new homes. If you are interested in a mat, or a number of mats, please get in touch to discuss.

What's New?
April update:
As we move into Spring, the refurbishment plans continue. When we have a confirmed start date, we will let everyone know. There will be at least a month's notice, but we hope for more.
Jump Space has been very lucky in recent months to gain grants from 3 sources. The first, from The Postcode Lottery, gave us £24,000 and has enabled us to buy lots of equipment for the new 1:1 room. We have purchased lots of sensory equipment and look forward to being able to share this new space with you. The second grant was from The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) was for £20,000 and is enabling us to purchase new trampolines and matting for the refurbished space. This money will also go towards the new slide. The final grant was from the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund for £3000 and is being using to provide interactive floor projectors.
Here's the link to their press release: Local charities set to benefit from almost £40k of donations from Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund

We are very excited about the new space, and will be sharing social stories, images and further details as soon as possible.

Thanks,
Jump Space
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