Five Acres is more than a day centre – it’s a family. Here are some thoughts from the people who know us best, in their own words.
“Harry has been at Five Acres since it opened on the 17th May 2021. He enjoys going everyday as there's lots to do, especially going shopping then helping to cook the lunch, then bake delicious cakes and biscuits. He is named 'King of the washing' as he likes doing the washing. He thoroughly enjoys going on the Whitby trips with Five Acres, especially the 2p machines, the chippy teas and having ice cream on the way home. He has made new friends being at Five Acres and seen some old friends from school. Harry is excited for the new site at Braffaton to be finished and open. From a parents point of view it's a piece of mind he's in a safe environment and which he can socialise with friends safely.”
—Gillian I`Anson
“My daughter Jamie Ann came too five acres, she was supported so much, and so much help was given when she passed away, with out places like Five Acres, life would be so bad for so many champions .. you give more than you know, and any youngster that needs that bit of support id say go see them at Five Acres, the Champions thrive there, its a wonderful happy place. good luck on Brafferton site, another wonderful place
— Diane Pickering
“Our grandson Kyran attends Five Acres everyday and he is well looked after by all the staff.There is a great range of activities and everybody is involved. We love to see the photos that are posted to see what they have all been up to!
All of the staff are a credit to the Five Acres Community Garden.”
—Hilary Norton
“For us, it’s the peace of mind knowing the girls are with friends and being well looked after. It means I can go to work or simply take a bit of time for myself, which makes such a difference.”
—Christine Toas
Five Acres provides an inclusive and engaging day service that truly enhances the life experiences for all involved. The focus for each day is to build confidence, develop a wide range of practical skills, enhance self-expression & communication, building personal resilience and social skills while having lots of fun and laughter. The range of daily activities is impressive; Champions are active participants in planning their daily pursuits along with the Five Acres team. The inspiring social media posts for Five Acres Day service provide a testament to the excellent work achieved by all involved, the joy seen on the Champion’s faces, speaks a thousand words!
In 2018 I met Gavin and Debra Iceton who had a vision to open a day service for young adults with special educational needs. Through sheer passion and belief and an insatiable tenacity to make a difference in these young peoples lives - the service was formed in 2021 Constituted as a CIC. Five acres day service now supports around 40 young adults (Champions) every week. Champions experience an inclusive and accessible service which delivers a range of engaging activities which greatly enhance the life experiences of Champions, building confidence, self expression and communication, developing social skills to support personal and social development. An inclusive approach is key to breaking down so many barriers for the young people to develop skills aiming to achieve their personal best in life. Activities include: Cookery with cultural/health related themes, music and dance, including video production to showcase the Champions talents, horticulture projects, thematic art and craft projects, regular day trips blending recreation, learning and fun! The champions are active participants from the planning stage and are involved as key players to develop the busy daily timetable at Five Acres.
This service would not be possible without Gavin and Debra gifting much of their time to support the service. In addition they host as volunteers - away trips for Champions to experience a short break away from home (2 days). This is often the only opportunity for the young people to experience time away from home. This experience gives individuals a sense of independence, having fun and making memories to last a lifetime! This provides parents and carer’s with much needed respite which otherwise could not be achieved. The Facebook posts of the Away trip experiences and the sheer joy on the faces of the Champions speaks a thousand words
—Nigel Brough
“Joe has a spring in his step every morning he attends Five Acres. Staff have really taken time to get to know him and understand what makes him tick. Thank you!”
— Fiona Naughton
“When I ask Thomas what Five Acres means to him, his whole face lights up. He signs “Five” and then happily names every person there with the biggest smile. That moment alone says more than a thousand words.
Five Acres brings out the best in him – adventurous, independent, funny, and caring. They are so much more than just a day service; they are like his second family, and we are truly grateful for all the care and support they give him.”
— Kelly Chappell
“Adam loves the activities at 5Acres and being surrounded with people who support and understand his needs. He is looking forward to helping with looking after the animals which will be kept in the new centre.
Thanks. Alex & Adam”
— Gordon & Alex Thomson
“Since Matthew has joined five acres, he has thrived so much. He has grown so much interest in horticulture and even creates conversation about it. The staff are more like family and they make the Champions feel special and wanted. It is the best place for my son. He is 27 now and it feels like he finally starting his journey to adult life. He loves the staff and would do anything for them
. He feels worthy and wanted ,all I hear is positive words.”
—Amanda Thompson
“Five Acres is a fabulous day service for young people with a learning disability, supporting them to develop skills, friendships and access our community. It is so reassuring to have your young adult in safe hands while you recharge your batteries. My son requires intensive support due to the complexity of his needs but is still included in a lots of activities such as wheelchair accessible tricycling, horticulture, cooking school and crafts. He loves special event days such as veterans visiting in vintage clothes and particularly enjoys the male role models. My daughter loves access to the animals such as goats, and the horse. Both thoroughly enjoy all the activities and have made lots of friends and built positive relationships with staff. I would confidently recommend Five Acres to anyone.”
—Siobhan Lund
My son Joe has flourished at Five Acres Community. They really care about him and have encouraged his talents so much that he now has a regular comedy spot on the Facebook page! He's also getting to develop his skills in many other ways, such as cooking, one of his favourite activities. I am proud of him and none of this could have been achieved without the brilliant Five Acres team.
— Dan Horner
It felt like a huge challenge looking for a day care service for our adult daughter with addiitional needs and we visited a few! However after our first visit to Five Acres we were made to feel welcome immediately. Megan felt at home straight away and it came across as a calm and caring space. She has forged some wonderful friendships and has the opportunity to try new activities on a daily basis. Fun and independence go hand in hand, the champions support each other and the staff are amazing. Five Acres was the best decion we made.