Mourne Stimulus 'The Garden Hub'

Chambers Insurance is a third generation family owned independent insurance broker, with branches in Kilkeel & Ballynahinch, Co. Down. Living in a close knit community we get to witness firsthand the great work that is delivered by local charities. Our vision for this years nominated local charity is to publicly acknowledge Mourne Stimulus Day Centre who in March 2025 celebrate their 30th Anniversary milestone and nominate the organisation for this years worthy recipient to the AVIVA Community Fund.

It was unanimously agreed by our team that Mourne Stimulus Day Care Centre be nominated having provided life changing devotion to adults with varying degrees of learning disabilities so that they can take control of their own lives independently and to actively seek out opportunities to achieve their full potential as individuals in mainstream society at a multi-purpose, warm and welcoming hub that is available five days per week, 225 days per year.  Mourne Stimulus Day Care Centre strongly focuses on the individuals ability and not their disability.

The vision is to support Mourne Stimulus Day Care Centre to help secure sustainability and extend their services by raising awareness of their great work and to help achieve their goal of developing a new ‘Garden Hub’ that will connect members with nature, learn new skills and promote mental wellbeing, physical health and enable socialising with others and their families.

The funding will be put to good use to purchase new equipment, resources and contribute to running costs that will support therapeutic gardening projects and woodwork picture framing. 

The vision for Mourne Stimulus over the next 3 years is to secure funding to build a multi-purpose workshop building that will home to their Garden Hub following extensive weather damage to their polytunnels that determined the need for a secure building. 

The development of an outdoor space offers a range of therapeutic woodwork, crafts, and gardening to create an outdoor shared space. The funds will be used to create a new fully functionally outdoor hub and purchase of equipment. The member of Mourne Stimulus will benefit from psychological health benefits to promoting good mental health into therapeutic mindfulness activities that promotes learning and skill development whilst alleviate social isolation. 

Mourne Stimulus have a dedicated team of staff that off er a range of recreational services that include: Creative Arts, Music & Drama, Multi-Sensory environment, Knitting and Weaving, Arm Chair, Water Snoozelen (Hydro Therapy) Personal Image Therapy, Baking, Exercise / Dancercise and Swimming.

Bee Kind High Street Planters – Kilkeel Town Centre 

The Bee Kind High Street Planters for Kilkeel Town Centre this year was joint initiative delivered in partnership with Kilkeel Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and Mourne Stimulus Day Care Centre.  Karl and the team at Mourne Stimulus certainly added a splash of colour over the summer months planting members home-grown flowers that placed  12 planters outside sponsoring businesses across the Town Centre. 

Due to the success and of this year’s initiative President Alan Knox stated that we have been inundated with request for local business to get involved in next year initiative and the plan is to double the amount of planters that will be available to put on display. This was an excellent opportunity to support the work of Mourne Stimulus and help with their much needed funding efforts and showcase their floral bedding that can be purchased from their ‘Garden Hub’. Kilkeel Chamber of Commerce look forward to working with members at Mourne Stimulus next year.