LONDON, Nov 28: NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has lent support to a British charity’s initiative to establish playgrounds dedicated to giving a secure playing environment to disabled children.
Lord Paul and his wife Aruna, who lost their young daughter Ambika in 1968, visited the playground last evening and spent some time with the children at the site.
On the occasion, Aruna also unveiled a plaque in memory of their daughter who died at the age of four after a battle with leukaemia.
Ambika Paul Foundation, set up by Lord Paul, is supporting KIDS, the charity behind the initiative, through a donation to its Hayward Playground in Islington, North London.
Lord Paul had donated 1 million pounds to save the London Zoo from closure in 1992.
KIDS is a leading charity that works with disabled children, young people and their families.
Recognising the fact that outdoor and free play is as crucial for disabled children as it is for their non-disabled peers, KIDS has launched the playground initiative which gives disabled children the opportunity to be free, to take risks, and have fun.
Kids pioneered adventure play for disabled children and currently has five fully inclusive playgrounds which welcome disabled children and their siblings, so they can play together in a safe, supportive environment.
During the busy school holiday play schemes, about 70 children per day use the playground, but it is open all year round and is used widely at weekends and in the evening.
The age range for users is 3 to 15 years but there is also an evening youth club for young people aged up to 19 who love the playground but are too old to attend during the day.
The Ambika Paul Foundation was created in 1978 and since then, funded by donations from the Paul family and the family-owned Caparo businesses, has grown to have substantial net assets and an impressive programme of donations.
The Foundation promotes the well-being of children and young people throughout the world through education, culture and health, and seeks to encourage and inspire them to learn about the world they live in. (PTI)
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