Peterborough's Little Miracles blown away by generosity of volunteers as children's centre given brand new makeover in just 12 hours

A leading Peterborough children’s charity has said that it has been “blown away” by the generosity of a group of volunteers who have given the centre a new lease of life

The centre specialises in supporting children with additional needs, disabilities, life-limiting conditions and their families. The charity’s aim is to ensure that no family ever feels alone as having a child with a disability can be a scary and lonely journey.

They do all their vital work from their base at The Spinney in Hartwell Way, which includes a counselling room, sensory room, kitchen, play area and a large outside. It was built by the BBC’s DIY SOS and Children in Need teams in 2010.

Since then though, the building had grown tired and was in need of revitalising, so in stepped the Good Deeds 24 team.

The team was created by Atiq Rehman to bring people of all faiths together to spread good deeds throughout out their communities across the UK.

On March 27, the team of more than 50 volunteers set out on a challenge to do as many good deeds as possible in 24 hours; 12 of these hours saw around 35 tradespeople as well as a host of volunteers work overnight to transform the centre.

The project was led and designed by Andy and Maria Thomas from AT Installations, who oversaw a whole host of transformations.

Those include turning the counselling room into a calm and inviting space, the instillation of a brand new kitchen – complete with two new ovens, fridge freezers and a microwave – a new and welcoming hallway, the creation of bright and fun murals in the toilets as well as making the corridor a clean, bright and fun space where children can run and play safely.

‘We couldn't be more grateful’

Louise Evans, head of income generation, said: “We cannot express just how grateful we are to everyone involved in the Good Deeds 24 project.

"Thank you so, so much to everyone who donated money, materials and time. The difference this will make to the families, children and staff at Little Miracles for years to come is huge.

"We couldn't be more grateful, the place is absolutely amazing and they couldn’t have listened to what we needed any more.

“Massive thanks of course to Atiq and Shaz without whom the project would never have happened, and special thanks to Andy and Maria from AT Installations who masterminded the entire project."

The centre’s hard work is needed more than ever during the current cost of living crisis, with some parents even relying on using the centre’s electricity to charge life-saving equipment for their children that they can’t afford to charge at home.

For this reason, the charity were especially devastated last month when they were hit by a break-in.

Andy and Maria stepped in once again though to secure the centre and get the charity back on its feet.

Louise added: “Their ongoing kindness is genuinely overwhelming.”

Andy said: “This has probably been our biggest project. When we heard about Little Miracles and the brilliant work they do here, we wanted to be involved and came up with the idea to transform the centre.”

Maria added: “I’m so glad to see the impact the work has made and how happy it has made everyone. We later found out that my nephew had been diagnosed with Hurler’s Syndrome and to think that he will have a place to come and for the whole family to receive support is brilliant."

As a charity Little Miracles is funded almost entirely by voluntary donations. You can help by donating just £3 a month. Simply text RAINBOW to 70660.