Sunday 30 July
2 – 3.30pm Starbank Park
Sunday 30 July
2 – 3.30pm Starbank Park
Don’t miss the live broadcast of BBC’s DIY SOS The Big Build at 8pm tonight – the hour-long DIY SOS special in support of BBC Children in Need features The Yard, the Eyre Place Lane adventure playground for children and young people with additional support needs.
The BBC intro says: ‘Emotions run high as Nick Knowles and the team enlist local tradespeople to come to the aid of a centre in Edinburgh for children with additional needs.
‘The Yard is a unique indoor and outdoor centre that helps 1,500 young people and their families each week. They provide a space where families can gain much-needed respite while their children make friends, develop their confidence and learn vital life skills.
Children in Need provides support, but the Yard is housed in a building that is in desperate need of a complete overhaul. There are just ten days to complete the build and make sure these children get the future they so richly deserve.’
Did the team complete the challenge? We’ll find out tonight, but The Yard’s Chief Executive Celine Sinclair said:
“The programme will highlight the highs and lows that went into transforming The Yard into the spectacular space it has become, as well as focussing on the importance of The Yard as a place to play for children and young people with additional support needs. So if you haven’t managed to visit us since the Big Build, don’t miss tonight’s programme and be sure to visit soon – you will be as amazed by the transformation! Once again I would like to say a huge thank you to all the parents and families, Nick Knowles and his team and all the tradespeople involved in the build.”
For further information about The Yard visit their website at www.theyardscotland.org.uk
To donate £5 to CiN, text DIYSOS to 70705. Text messages will cost five pounds plus your standard network charge, and five pounds will go to Children in Need. For full terms and conditions visit bbc.co.uk/pudsey.
The Yard is a much-appreciated resource, and the local project received great news when they heard that the BBC had selected The Yard to feature in a Children in Need special edition of the popular DIY SOS show. All will be revealed next month …
The Yard is a purpose-built indoor and outdoor adventure playground for children and young people with additional support needs. The project, which is based in Eyre Place Lane, provides care, support, fun and friendship in equal measure while also promoting challenge and personal growth in an environment which values independence and celebrates the capabilities and achievements of each individual child.
During late September and October the city council has helped The Yard to find temporary premises to allow the project to continue to run as many of their services as normal while the building makeover has been underway at Eyre Place Lane – Friday, Saturday and October holiday drop-in sessions have operated at Craigentinny Primary School.
The Yard team will move back ‘home’ on Saturday 27 October so there will be no session on that date – normal service at The Yard, for drop-in sessions, resumes on Friday 2 November from 1 – 4pm.
The Yard received a visit from Canaan Lane school earlier this month. This is what they said:
Canaan Lane pupils and staff were thrilled to be special guests at The Yard special needs playground on Friday 5 October. The Yard has been selected as the BBC’s DIY SOS project for this year’s Children in Need programme. The sun shone on the day and we joined almost 100 other guests, families and children for ‘The Big Reveal’ – the moment when the staff, volunteers and other friends of The Yard were allowed in for the first time to see the transformation.