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Funding boost for Inverness playgroup for children with special needs


By Gregor White

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Gracey Wemyss with her parents Shannon and Mickey, Little Fishes co-ordinator Morgan Ball and Chris Dowling of Cairngorm Windows.
Gracey Wemyss with her parents Shannon and Mickey, Little Fishes co-ordinator Morgan Ball and Chris Dowling of Cairngorm Windows.

Pre-school children with special needs and their parents will be able to meet at a new playgroup in Inverness.

Smithton-based playgroup Little Fishes, run by King’s Inverness church, has launched Little Star Fishes thanks to sponsorship from Cairngorm Windows.

Those welcoming the project include Mickey and Shannon Wemyss, of Westercraigs.

Their 18-month-old daughter, Gracey, will attend the group when it starts activities as coronvirus restrictions ease further.

“It’s great to see more inclusion for children with special needs in Inverness,” Mrs Wemyss said.

She described feeling “worlds apart” from parents at other baby classes she had joined.

“It’s so wonderful to be in a safe, friendly group where Gracey doesn’t stand out,” she said.

“I couldn’t contain my excitement when I found out about Little Star Fishes – somewhere we can be ourselves with other mums who have had similar experience.”

Cairngorm managing director David Dowling said the church had come to the rescue when the company needed a staff canteen while undertaking a windows and doors replacement contract in Smithton for Highland Council.

“Now we’re making it a win-win situation by sponsoring the playgroup’s expansion, thus putting something back in to the local community,” he said.

His son Chris – human resources director at Cairngorm – and his wife, Sarah, are also co-pastors of King’s Inverness.

“Gracey’s mum was the catalyst for getting this expansion project going and allowing parents of special needs children to meet each other and for their children to play with one another,” Chris Dowling said.

He said it was excellent that Cairngorm, which had benefited from using the premises, was in turn playing its part by enabling the very special playgroup to grow.

The Co-op’s community charity fund has donated £1500 of sensory play equipment to the venture.

The playgroup is also supported by the adjoining Factory coffee house, run by King’s Inverness, whose staff are on placements through Community Jobs Scotland.

The church also operates the Bike Shed coffee shop in Grant Street, Merkinch.

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