Young adults officially open Jesters at Jacksplace
On Thursday 25 April, young adults visiting Jacksplace officially opened ‘Jesters’.
Jesters is a brand new fully accessible, multi-functional space situated in the gardens that will provide a variety of social opportunities and experiences for young adults who visit.
Young adults and staff attended the opening. The Play and Activities team decorated Jesters with a fun ‘medieval’ theme, and were dressed to suit the occasion. Following a speech from Play and Activities Team Leader, Claire Potterton, who was dressed as Jester, the young adults lined up in their wheelchairs and drove through a chain mail ribbon to officially open the space. Everyone present was then invited inside to explore Jesters, over tea and cakes baked by the young adults.
Jesters can serve multiple purposes based on the needs of the young adult. It provides an opportunity to embrace the outdoor grounds of the hospice, while being sheltered and warm. Inside, it can accommodate multiple wheelchairs and beds and has electricity points for ventilation, oxygen pumps and more.
The space can be used as a pub, as a dining area, for a cinema experience, as a sensory room, for parties and special occasions, for gaming and movie nights, for themed activities, and more. It is located next to Jacksplace’s BBQ Hut, and features serving hatches, allowing for a fully immersive outdoor experience.
Claire Potterton, Play and Activities Team Leader at Naomi House & Jacksplace, said:
We are so excited to officially open Jesters! Young adults that regularly visit the hospices were involved in the creation of the space, giving advice on what they wanted the space for, and features that were important to them. A lot of hard work and passion has gone into creating Jesters, and we are delighted it is open and ready for the young adults to enjoy.
Each month, our team focus on a different theme and Jesters will be set up and decorated to replicate this. This month’s theme is ‘medieval’, and so the space has been transformed to imitate a medieval castle, which will allow us to carry out games and activities to compliment the theme. Future themes will involve Jesters being transformed into a beach hut, a festival space, a haunted house, and an Apres Ski lodge. We are so excited to make the most of the space and use it to its full potential.
