As the summer draws to a close, we’re reflecting on the difference Ruby’s has made across Cheshire East over the past few months. From paddling pools to Pride, sensory buses to sibling support, our team has been busy delivering joy, connection, and practical help to families and communities.
Even while our centre was temporarily closed for preparatory works ahead of our exciting lift installation, our commitment to supporting families never paused.
💦 Splash-Tastic Fun
In partnership with Congleton Town Council, we hosted five paddling pool sessions, totalling 15 hours of splashy fun in both sunshine and rain! These events weren’t just about water play, they created valuable opportunities for peer support, making new friends, and building community connections. Our staff were on hand throughout to offer signposting and support to families attending.
🚌 Sensory Bus Visits
Our Sensory Bus made four home short breaks visits, bringing calming resources, engaging activities, and plenty of smiles directly to families who needed a little extra support.
📞 Support Beyond the Centre
While our doors were closed, our services remained open:
- Telephone and email support for families needing guidance or a listening ear
- Loans from our sensory resource library to help children thrive at home
- Tickets to Chester Zoo for families to enjoy a memorable day out
- Food vouchers to support those facing financial pressures
- Counselling for parent carers, offering emotional support and space to talk
🤝 Partnerships That Matter
We teamed up with some amazing organisations to bring inclusive experiences to even more people:
- Everybody Multisport (4 events across Cheshire East)
- Congleton Fire Station Open Day
- Congleton Pride
- Axis School Summer Fair
- The Ark
- Sandbach Town Council
- Caudwell Open Day
At each event, we brought our sensory bus, resources, activities, and staff to offer support and signposting.
🌳 Supporting Siblings
We ran two special sessions just for siblings:
- Pottery Painting: 2 hours of creativity for 10 children
- Forest School: 4 hours of outdoor adventure for 10 children
These sessions gave siblings a chance to connect, express themselves, and simply have fun.
🎓 Welcoming Interns
We welcomed two fantastic interns from Keele University, who contributed a combined 150 hours of support, bringing fresh perspectives and helping us deliver our mission.
🧠 Governance & Growth
Behind the scenes, we’ve been strengthening our foundations:
- Held 1 Trustee Board meeting
- Held 3 Trustee Subcommittee meetings
- Hosted 1 Fundraising Volunteer committee meeting
- Recruited 3 new staff members to join our team
💖 Why It Matters
Every hour we spent, every partnership we built, and every smile we saw was part of our commitment to creating inclusive, supportive spaces for children and families. Whether through sensory play, signposting, remote support, counselling, or simply showing up with kindness, we hope you agree that we’ve made a meaningful difference this summer.
Thank you to our staff, volunteers, partners, and families for being part of this journey. Here’s to continuing the magic into autumn and beyond!