RESPITE care providers have received some special support themselves from Durham City Freemen to help them improve the service they offer users.

Hawthorn House is a Durham County Council-run complex providing temporary 24-hour respite care to people with learning difficulties.

The centre, in Newton Hall, Durham, which is staffed by a specialist team, benefited from a £250 gift from the freemen more than two years ago, with the charitable award funding an internal decorative make-over.

It led to the addition of clocks, cushions, wall art, safety mirrors and bed-throws to brighten the surroundings.

A second shot-in-the-arm, a £300 boost from the latest round of charitable awards from the freemen, will be devoted to taking the sensory benefits to a new level for users, whose ages range from the mid-teens to the 60s.

Respite manager Sue Smith said: “Those who come to us all have a degree of sensory impairment ranging from mild to profound.

“They all derive great pleasure by tuning in themselves to music and stories available from the ‘Alexa’ listening and respond devices.

“We intend to use the money to buy three additional ‘Alexa’ machines as well as further develop our garden as a place of fun and enjoyment.

“Our summerhouse has been used to offer a variety of themed ventures and doubles up as a café where users can sit with soft drinks, cakes and ice creams.

“We now plan to add a garden water feature, incorporating a bird bath.

“They love watching the birds and it will also provide an opportunity during the summer months to enjoy splashing water with their hands.”

Read more: New Freemen welcomed to Durham's trade guilds at Town Hall

Eric Bulmer, the chairman of the freemen’s charitable trust, said: “We are pleased once again to help organisations which support some of the most vulnerable groups in our community.

“They have come through an extremely difficult period, thanks to the care of a wonderful group of dedicated staff and volunteers.”

Mr Bulmer and fellow trustee John Booth paid a visit to the team at the St Godric’s Close centre, to see how the latest funding has been used to benefit service users at Hawthorn House.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054