The No Limits centre which provides specialised service for children with intellectual difficulties is hoping a new premises and funding can be found to allow them reopen in Portlaoise.
“We are urgently looking for people to volunteer to help us out,” said the No Limits centre founder Nicola Coss.
“We really are looking for a miracle. I have never prayed so much,” she said.
Having provided vital specialised services in the town for children with intellectual disabilities, as well as standard day-care and after schools services, they were forced to close their doors recently after a promise of private funding fell through at the last minute.
“The people in Portlaoise now have nothing and have nowhere to go for their children,” Ms Coss said.
While a service continues to be offered at the moment in Mountrath, Ms Coss said they are in need of extra funding and volunteers.
Now they are hoping a suitable premises can be found in Portlaoise, along with voluntary assistance to allow them relaunch the service.
“It we get financial support and a suitable premises then we would be able to get Portlaoise up and running again,” Ms Coss said.
No Limits had provided its services on the back of funding which had been pledged privately.
“If we hadn’t been told that this funding was available then we would have got a smaller premises and built it up slowly,” she said.
However, when this funding failed to materialise it came as a complete shock. “It was a total bombshell. We saw our future disintegrate,” she said.
Winning Streak
The services provided by No Limits saw them featured on Winning Streak on RTE at the weekend, underlining the value of their work.
Ms Coss said it was great to get the recognition, and now their focus is on re-establishing their services in Portlaoise.
A number of weeks back the No Limits centre in Portlaoise announced that it was desperately trying to raise €20,000 to keep its services running after the funding fell through.
“Our accounts are empty, our bills are mounting and we are extremely reluctant but facing the fact of having to seriously scale things back,” Ms Coss said at the time.
“However the demand for our specialised service continues to increase and therefore to try and avoid having to stop anything. We are desperately looking to raise €20,000 to help us find a more suitable home to provide our services and much more, to those with disabilities undiagnosed and diagnosed, a figure doubling every year especially for those with Autism,” Ms Coss said.
A number of local events are being organised to raise funds, with some volunteers also running the Women’s Mini Marathon to raise funds.
Ms Coss described the No Limits Ability Centre as a unique non-for profit facility, providing customised programmes for all children & young adults with special needs, helping to improve their cognitive, social, communicational and motor skills through play and person centred learning.
“We also provide work experience for young adults with autism, many of whom were past members of our camps. Open six days a week, for clients with physical, intellectual and sensory challenges since July 2014, in that time we’ve provided services and much needed respite for their respective families for over 7,583 participants and growing,” she said.
“However, we remain totally committed in our quest to open a unique Special Needs Preschool and move forward with our plans to roll out our workshops nationwide, but none of this is possible without investment,” she said.
They will be running a summer camp programme in Mountrath. Ms Coss said people can support their centre by booking these services, and in turn get something back themselves.
Sensory workshops can be organised and No Limits can actually go to schools and provide an outreach service.
A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched. You can donate directly on that page here or contact Nicola Coss on 087 7497826.
SEE ALSO – Portlaoise No Limits centre desperately needs funds to stay open
