Can you help disabled and neurodivergent children find somewhere to play, feel safe — and just be?
We’re asking Rother District Council for the chance to transform a disused building in Egerton Park into a calm, sensory-friendly space for families who are often excluded.
But before they say yes — we need to show that the community is behind us.
This Crowdfunder is asking for just £1 — as a clear, visible signal to the Council that you support this project.
That you believe this space is needed. That you want to see it happen. That Bexhill is ready to say yes to inclusion.
🌿 Meet the Team Behind The Bexhill Nest
We’re Lucy and Christine — two local mums who met at the school gates when our children, both with high support needs, were placed in the same class. What began as quick chats at drop-off soon became a shared vision for something our town has never had — but desperately needs.
We both grew up playing in Egerton Park. Now we want to make sure every child can do the same — including those who are often excluded from public spaces because they’re just not designed with them in mind.
Together, we bring a mix of lived experience, local roots, and professional expertise — and we’re ready to build the space that doesn’t exist yet, but should.
Lucy Cooley
Co-Founder | Inclusive Service Designer | Bexhill Local
Lucy Cooley is a neurodivergent parent, inclusive service designer, and lifelong Bexhill resident. She attended nursery, school and college locally, and has over 20 years’ experience working with families in early years and inclusive community settings.
Lucy has worked in Children’s Centres, running groups for parents and carers, supporting families with complex needs, and helping to create accessible pathways into local services. Most recently, she was a Funding and Partnerships Officer, where she supported grassroots organisations and learned first-hand how collaboration across the community makes the biggest difference.
Her work is shaped by her lived experience as a late-diagnosed neurodivergent adult and parent of children with high support needs — and by her deep belief that belonging should never be a postcode lottery.
👩⚕️ Christine Catt
Co-Founder | Speech and Language Therapist | Bexhill Born and Raised
Christine Catt was born and raised in Bexhill and is deeply connected to the community she now serves. She holds a BSc Honours degree in Psychology and will soon complete her Masters degree in Speech and Language Therapy, with years of experience supporting children with SEND and helping families navigate the systems around them.
Christine has also completed training in counselling skills, bringing warmth, empathy and expertise to everything she does. She’s passionate about creating spaces where children and families feel safe, supported, and understood — especially those who are so often left out of traditional settings.
Together, we’ve created Come As You Are CIC to build something that reflects our children, our community, and the values we believe in:
Safety. Dignity. Belonging. Access. And care, exactly as you are.
🛠️ Our Plan
We’re not trying to reinvent Egerton Park — we love it as it is.
This project is about making sure more people feel like they belong in it.
Right now, the Bowls Pavilion and Bowling Green are sitting empty. Quiet. Unused. We’re asking for the chance to gently bring that space back to life — with care, with calm, and with the same love for the park that everyone else already has.
We’re not building a café.
We’re not running big events.
We’re not bringing noise, traffic, or disruption.
We’re creating something small, thoughtful, and truly needed — a sensory-informed, neuroinclusive space for families who often don’t feel safe or welcome anywhere else.
🌱 Phase 1: Starting Outside
As soon as the lease is granted, we’ll start with the Bowling Green — making it secure, soft and welcoming for gentle outdoor sessions. This gives families somewhere to connect and regulate before the building is even open.
Your support will help us:
Replace the broken storage shed
Add fencing to define boundaries and keep children safe
Provide soft furnishings and outdoor sensory equipment
Put up clear, welcoming signage so families can find us with ease
These changes will happen quietly and respectfully — with no impact on the rest of the park or its users.
🏡 When the Building Opens
When we’re ready to open the building itself, we’ll offer:
A calm, flexible hall space for seated yoga, journaling, quiet play or support groups
A dedicated sensory room for regulation and rest
A small kitchen area for drinks and informal connection
Toilet facilities for use during small group sessions
When not in use by us, we’ll make the space available to local groups who align with our calm and inclusive approach — like Knit & Natter, older people’s wellbeing sessions, or carer meet-ups.
This isn’t a service you have to qualify for.
It’s a space that says: you’re welcome here.
Whether you’re neurodivergent, disabled, burnt out, overwhelmed — or just need somewhere quieter than the rest of the world often is.
Because community spaces should feel like they belong to all of us.