Norwood, the leading children and families charity, held a Groundbreaking Ceremony on Sunday 11 March at Ravenswood Village in Berkshire, to mark the start of building work for The Tager Centre, a new residential facility specifically designed for people at the severe end of the autistic spectrum. The centre has been designed to set new standards in individualised care. It will comprise four wings, each containing four single units with private gardens as well as communal living areas.
The centre has been named after the Tager family in recognition of a generous £1 million donation by Romie Tager QC and his sister, Dr Helen Tager-Flusberg, who is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at Boston University, and a world-renowned expert in autism.
Their sister, Sharon Tager, lives at Ravenswood Village and their late brother, Henry, also lived at the Village. Their parents were one of the four founder families of Ravenswood in the late 1950s. The family chose to commemorate their late father’s memory by donating to a number of projects that reflect his lifetime of charitable work.
Romie Tager QC said, ‘We chose the Norwood autism centre at Ravenswood Village because we wanted to express our thanks to Ravenswood, and to commemorate the lives of my parents, and of Henry, in a way that would benefit the lives of adults with autism, and their families. It is an extremely exciting project, and one with which my family are very proud to be associated.”
The new state-of-the-art facility will offer person-centred programmes with appropriate indoor and outdoor living. Many people with autism have difficulty coping with communication, social interaction and managing their own challenging behaviours. They therefore suffer high levels of stress and anxiety. The flats have been designed in consultation with service users, their families and staff who support them, to create a calm environment giving each resident space and privacy and the opportunity to interact communally. A range of appropriate specialist therapeutic services will be provided for residents, including psychology, speech therapy and hydrotherapy.
Norma Brier, Norwood Chief Executive said, “The Tager Centre will offer people with autism the best quality of care and opportunities to ensure that they can reach their full potential in life. Norwood would like to thank Romie Tager QC and Dr Helen Tager-Flusberg for their generous donation that has enabled us to bring this project to fruition to make a real difference to people on the autistic spectrum.”
Referrals to The Tager Centre can be made by a family member, an advocate, a Local Authority Care Manager or similar professional. Contact The Funding and Admissions Team at Norwood by email at admissions@norwood.org.uk or by calling 020 8954 4555.
