More children to receive support thanks to Red Balloon’s new Cambridge centre
Children's charity Red Balloon Cambridge has been given the green light by the Department for Education to open a second centre in the city.
This means it can support even more bullied and traumatised children with its award-winning educational and therapeutic programme.
Red Balloon offers education and wellbeing support for students who are unable to go to school because they’ve been severely bullied, have mental health problems or have suffered some other trauma in their lives.
The charity, which already has a well-established centre in Warkworth Terrace, has opened its new centre on Norfolk Street.
Jessica Lechner, Red Balloon Cambridge’s co-ordinator, said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome more students into our Red Balloon family, and our new Norfolk Street Centre is perfect for them in so many ways.
"It is a small setting, which is really important, because our students have had traumatic experiences at school and they need an environment which is non-threatening, calm and as home-like as possible.
"What’s great is that it is close to our other centre, so students and staff can share space and resources. It is also well located for public transport, and there are lots of amenities nearby as well as great outdoor spaces like Parker’s Piece.”
Students started taking their educational and wellbeing sessions in the new building on November 16. Jessica added: “Thank you so much to everyone who donated furniture which was so difficult for us to gather during lockdown. But we now have everything that we need and students are settling in well.”
The charity's ‘recovery’ programme has been successfully replicated in Red Balloon centres in Norwich, London and Reading - and there is also Red Balloon of the Air which offers a combination of online and face-to-face support for children who cannot get to a centre.
Red Balloon Cambridge Warkworth Terrace will continue to support 20 students a year, while Red Balloon Cambridge Norfolk Street will support an additional 18.
redballoonlearner.org
