Leading care provider Balhousie Care Group and its founder and Chairman Tony Banks have been announced as inaugural sponsors of Celtic FC Foundation’s acclaimed Lions’ View Sensory Room at Celtic Park.
The £45,000 sponsorship runs for two years and covers the management and running costs of the Lions’ View, a specially designed facility providing a full match day experience for children, young people and adults with sensory needs, and groups with complex physical and learning difficulties.
The Lions’ View offers a safe and secure environment and viewing area on match days and will be used for other project sessions throughout the week.
Tony said: “As a lifelong Celtic supporter and founder of one of Scotland’s leading private care providers, supporting the Lions’ View makes sense. Balhousie Care Group and its specialist care arm ASC are all about providing quality, innovative care ranging from elderly care to specialist care for younger adults across 26 different facilities.
“The Lions’ View provides a safe, interactive space and that is vital for these young Celtic supporters. I look forward to seeing this develop into a gathering space for other groups as well, such as people living with dementia or Down’s Syndrome. Community initiatives such as this are integral to what Balhousie Care Group does. We don’t just provide care, we work closely with each local community we’re part of. We are extremely proud to be supporting the Lions’ View and Celtic FC Foundation.”
Located in Celtic Park’s Family Stand (Lisbon Lions), the Lions’ View opened in April 2019. It has the capacity to host 14 people as well as two Celtic FC Foundation staff who will support participants. Operating at full capacity, approximately 200 children, young people and adults will benefit from the match day experience per season.
Helping to announce the sponsorship, Shaun Rosling, Senior Support Worker at Balhousie’s specialist care unit ASC, said: “It’s brilliant to be part of this and show our support for such a valuable initiative. This is a well thought out space – interactive but also calming.
“Our job at ASC is to provide specialist support and encourage independence among adults with perceived challenging behaviour, so many of them have shared the same sensory challenges as the guests using the Lions’ View.”
Shaun added: “At Balhousie Care Group and ASC, we really pride ourselves on our community partnership and supporting and sponsoring the Lions’ View is a natural extension of that.”
Celtic FC Foundation Chief Executive Tony Hamilton said: “Firstly, we’d like to extend a sincere thank you to Tony Banks and Balhousie Care Group for sponsoring the Lions’ View. This support will allow us to continue to make a real difference for a significant number of our supporters with sensory needs, as well as groups with complex physical and learning difficulties.
“It’s also important to recognise the part the Club’s supporters played in making this facility a reality through the Lions Legacy fundraising initiative and the fact that one supporter’s company is now behind the sponsorship, is a perfect example of what can be achieved when we work together.”
Photo captions: Lions’ View logo; Balhousie Care Group Chairman Tony Banks; Staff from Balhousie Care Group with ASC Support Worker Shaun Rosling at centre.
There is currently a waiting list for the Lions’ View Sensory Room on a match day. Those who would like to learn more about the facility or register their interest in attending, should contact cfcfoundation@celticfc.co.uk
Tony Banks, Chairman of Balhousie Care Group.
Picture by Graeme Hart.
Copyright Perthshire Picture Agency
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