SensationALL was created in response to the closure of the Raeden Centre (a facility for children with complex needs in Aberdeen) in the summer of 2011, which left a gap in local service provision.
Our founders, parent of a neurodivergent child, Susan Kay and Occupational Therapist, Suz Strachan came together with the vision to give families living with complex support needs a place to belong, where they can feel empowered, safe and supported throughout their lives. A place where they can access practical support and sensory facilities in a friendly and tailored environment.
Their aim was to create a place where families could enjoy recreational activities together without being overwhelmed by the sensory influences of most mainstream or public environments. Initially operating as a voluntary service from the Lawsondale Sports Pavillion in Westhill, they ran family play sessions. The response was so overwhelming that demand for more frequent groups quickly grew, so they took the plunge and registered as a Scottish charity in 2012 headed up by Suz as Service Manager.
Susan Strachan, Bob McCracken and Susan Kay, May 2019
[image copyright SensationALL]
The need for a permanent premises led to an application for the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) of the Old Schoolhouse in Westhill from Aberdeenshire Council. Finalised in May 2019, the CAT secured our long-term home and prevented one of Westhill’s few historic buildings being taken out of community use.
Over the next few years’ the range of services grew in line with the increasing number of families with varying needs. Simultaneously, our reputation within statutory services for needs-led practical support (regardless of formal diagnosis) saw the number of referrals from NHS professionals increasing. In 2019, we became an approved supplier of Flexible Learning Pathways with Aberdeenshire Council providing innovative out-of-classroom support for school pupils with additional needs.
The Covid pandemic in 2020-21, presented a challenging time for the charity but we were committed to continuing support while in-person activities weren’t possible so developed a range of online groups and digital resources.
As word of our work spreads, demand from families living across the northeast has grown so in 2022 we began delivering outreach sessions in various locations from Stonehaven to Banchory to Inverurie to Peterhead!
A huge milestone came in 2023 when (thanks to National Lottery funding) we took on the lease of a second venue in Aberdeen city centre, Belgrave House, in Rosemount.
In 2024, we received more new registrations than in any other period, evidencing the need for us to grow our timetable and help more people. Through our 5-year strategy we aim to grow our services and our facilities including an ambitious re-development of the Old Schoolhouse to create a bigger, state-of-the-art centre.
Read about our exciting plans for the Old Schoolhouse here.
