A CHARITY that works with young disabled people is appealing for funds to refurbish their new premises.

Vision25 is an independent social care and training provider based in Stockton-On-Tees and has been working with young people with disabilities for five years.

It provides a meaningful option for young adults with learning disabilities aged 17 plus, hoping to get them into employment.

The charity started life in May 2016 as Community Interest Company (CIC), before officially achieving charity status in September 2019.

The charity offers part time and full-time placements for 51 weeks of the year, as part our meaningful training programme.

Group sizes are kept small and normal staffing ratio is one member of staff to three young people. All staff at Vision25 are passionate about helping young people to realise their potential and build self-worth.

Vision25 have identified the perfect location and building to grow and make an already special charity, even more amazing.

They have identified a new property, 144 High Street, Stockton which has been vacant for a number of years after having intensive negotiations with the owner.

Now, the charity has secured a long-term lease on the property.

The building is vast, spanning a total of 16,000 square feet across two floors, with ground floor alone providing 8,500 square feet.

To give some context that is over eight times bigger, than the charity's current home in Richard House.

CEO of Vision25 Jen Addison said: “This is a retail property on Stockton high street, but it’s not very disability friendly.

“There are lifts but most of these were put in there years ago, so it needs a complete refurb.

“The whole aim for the site is for young adults to work both in the retail shop and in the café.

“People aren’t very accepting of young people with disabilities, and we want this to change, with more interaction from the public.

“We have a plan for the future to use the upstairs for industries like hairdressing, this is to open more doors for the young people.

“This is crucially important, and we want to show they very capable and that we can get them into a better place in life.

"We hope you can see from this how brilliant our young adults are! We want to provide the best possible environment for them and we know we have the perfect place and location to do this.

"We now need all your family, friends, work colleagues, business contacts to help make the dream come true."

The property will accommodate a Dedicated Café open to the public, a retail unit which will sell the products made by the young people.

On top of this there will be a sensory room, classroom, dining hall which will also double up as a sports hall.

The charity has now launched a crowd funder to help raise the money to do the refurbishments.

Their aim is to raise £50,000 from the public to fund the refurb of their ‘forever home.’

Donations can be made at: crowdfunder.co.uk/vision-25---making-the-dream-happen?