Calvert Reconnections – the UK’s first intensive acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation centre combining traditional interdisciplinary clinical therapies with physical activity in the outdoors – will officially open its doors on Friday 13 March 2020.
Located on the outskirts of the bustling market town of Keswick in the Lake District, Calvert Reconnections, run by the Lake District Calvert Trust (LDCT), is a brand new neuro-rehabilitation, residential centre offering ground-breaking rehabilitation programmes for those who have suffered an ABI.
Based at Grade II listed Tithe Barn, ‘Old Windebrowe’, one-time home of Lakeland’s most famous of poets, William Wordsworth, the new centre accommodates up to ten participants at any given time.
The launch of Calvert Reconnections has been years in the planning.
Fundraising began back in 2016 with the hugely popular ‘Go Herdwick’ sheep sculpture trail that delighted tens of thousands of locals and visitors over that Summer. The resulting charity auction kick-started the fundraising process to the tune of £225,000. Additional funding of over £1 million has since been secured from a range of organisations plus significant personal donations from supporters and members of the public.
Up until the end of 2018, the Tithe Barn was used for Calvert Trust guests as two self-catering apartments (Grooms Cottage and The Coach House) with the upstairs barn area being used for archery and storage. In Winter 2018/9 refurbishment began to renovate the old grade II listed building into the new Calvert Reconnections Centre. The upper floor of the Tithe Barn has been converted into a homely living space and the lower floor into ten guest bedrooms and bathrooms.
Giles Mounsey-Heysham, Chairman of the Lake District Calvert Trust (LDCT) Trustees remarked: “The opening of the new centre is the culmination of years of meticulous planning by the Lake District Calvert Trust. It is a landmark moment.
“Working with leading clinicians and academics, our new rehabilitation centre will provide a ground-breaking, world-class rehabilitation programme tailored to support individuals in their recovery using the LDCT’s unique programme of challenging outdoor activities.
“Calvert Reconnections is going to be such a lovely place to stay as the ‘home from home’ feel is a very important part of our rehabilitation programme.”
Centre Director Sean Day said: “We are absolutely delighted to be opening our doors.
“The historic Tithe Barn has really been brought back to life with many of the original features retained.
“Our new centre will provide a ground-breaking, world-class programme, putting the Lake District on the map for brain injury rehabilitation. I would like to thank all our supporters and funders who have made this project possible.”
