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A charity supporting children with complex disabilities in Caerphilly County Borough has received funding to run activities over the school summer holidays.

The money has been given to the Sparkle charity from the Blackwood Engineering Trust, which was set up in 2015 with the aim of helping disadvantaged children in the UK, Belgium, China and India.

The funding will support Sparkle-run activities at Caerphilly Children’s Centre, in Energlyn.

The activities, which will first be offered to children currently on Sparkle’s waiting list, will provide opportunities to play, socialise, and develop a variety of skills.

It will also help tackle the risk of social isolation and a lack of routine for the children during the school holidays.

Samantha Edwards, Sparkle’s activities development officer, said: “The funding for our holiday play clubs in Caerphilly Children’s Centre will help us to support children and young people with disabilities and/or developmental difficulties that may not be able to access mainstream leisure activities.

“For Sparkle families, provisions like these are invaluable and on behalf of the children and young people and their families, thank you.”  

Meanwhile, an art therapy room is set top open at the Sparkle-backed Serennu Children’s Centre in Rogerstone in September. It will offer children and young people with language limitations the opportunity for self-expression, as well as a way for them to communicate if they find it hard to express their thoughts and feelings verbally.