Welcome to the Leonard Cheshire Lavender Fields website. Lavender Fields is on the
outskirts of Hitchin in Hertfordshire and is one of the newest Leonard Cheshire facilities having
opened in 2004.
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Click on the picture to see the Lavender Fields video, or right-click on
the picture and select 'Save Target As..' to download the video. |
Lavender Fields is part of the leading charity provider of services for disabled
people in the UK which also operate in 57 countries across the world ( for further information visit
http://www.LCDisability.org ).
The Young Person's Unit at 1 Lavender Fields in Hitchin which opened in March 2004
is a 10 bedroom home for 16-24 year olds. The unit provides 24 hour nursing and support for young
people in a residential setting and is suitable for those with a complex physical disability.
This is an exciting new service for physically disabled young people enabling them
to spend their transition years in a safe and stimulating environment, with opportunities to take
part in further education courses at local colleges and encouragement to develop independent living
skills with a view to the future. The young people living at 1 Lavender Fields are encouraged to
make their own choices and given appropriate levels of support in achieving their aims and ambitions.
This may include entering the world of paid employment as one resident is currently experiencing.
The accommodation at 1 Lavender Fields is purpose built to suit the needs of people
with complex physical disabilities. There are automatic doors to the entrance, wide corridors
throughout, en-suite bathrooms with shower, toilet and basin. The unit is designed in two wings of
five bedrooms. The central area between the wings includes a dining room, lounge and kitchen with
adjustable-height fittings suitable for use by staff and service users. There is also a
state-of-the-art study room for the use of the young people, with networked computer facilities
including broadband internet access, interactive white board and information areas. Support is
provided as appropriate to enable the young people to access these facilities.
Local college facilities include North Hertfordshire College with campuses at
Letchworth, Hitchin and Stevenage. The brand new Stevenage campus is fully accessible to students
with a physical or learning disability, with excellent IT and business course facilities.
As the young people at 1 Lavender Fields approach the age of 24 Leonard Cheshire
will be working closely with them and their families to identify future living options and to
ensure that the necessary life skills and developed, thus enabling a real choice of supporting or
independent living to be made wherever possible.
